Senators want probe of PP 1017

Senators on Friday said the lifting of Presidential Proclamation 1017 would not absolve President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of illegal acts committed pursuant to the proclamation's implementation. Senate President Franklin Drilon, majority leader Francis Pangilinan and Senator Rodolfo Biazon, in separate interviews, said the Senate would still pursue investigations on alleged “illegal acts" that were committed, such as the warrantless arrest of known opposition personalities and the raid on a newspaper. “The lifting of the presidential proclamation would not absolve the executive department and the agents of the executive department who had committed a violation of basic institutional rights of the people," Biazon said. “It could not absolve them and there will be a day of reckoning for the implementation of the warrantless arrest and the raid on the Daily Tribune that definitely were designed to intimidate the media," he added. Pangilinan said the repeal of the presidential proclamation could not gloss over the violations of civil liberties because of its overzealous implementation. “We need to determine if these acts indeed violated the constitutionally protected rights of our people," Pangilinan said. Drilon said the Senate would be remiss to its duty should senators abandon their function of investigating anomalies in government. Drilon and Pangilinan said abandoning the investigations on the alleged illegal arrests, search and seizures would send the signal to Malacañang “that it can do as it pleases regardless of what the Constitution says." “Our acts, whether in the opposition or the administration, must be within the rule of law and the Constitution and the burden is greater when one holds the highest office of the land. Now more than ever, the Senate must act as a check and balance … and we will not shirk from this constitutional duty," Pangilinan said. “Kailangan pa ring busisiin ang naging patakbo at pag-implementa ng gobyerno nang nasabing proklamasyon. Kailangan busisiin ang raid sa media, ang pag-aresto ng mga mamamayan na walang warrant at iba pa. Kailangan ito upang tiyakin na hindi maulit ang pagyurak sa karapatang pantao. Kung 'di ito busisiin ay maaaring ulit-ulitin ito sa mga darating pang araw," Drilon added. The Senate earlier adopted a resolution condemning the illegal acts committed in the implementation of PP 1017. Seventeen senators signed the resolution. Administration Senators Richard Gordon and Ramon Revilla Jr. lauded the president’s move. “I am very please na-lift na ‘yan state of national emergency because that has created a lot of ripples all over the country and from abroad. I was getting calls from the tourism industry, from the hotels and asking for our assistance na kung maaari a i-lift na ‘yang state of emergency. At the same time, kailangan ngayon ay makabawi kaagad ang tourism department," Gordon said. But Gordon said Malacañang has still to answer questions raised by the public on the issuance of the proclamation. “Dapat maipaliwanag kung ano talaga ang nangyari and at the same time show the world that we can punish the manufactors (sic) behind this so-called problem. And if the emergency is justified, I think the Filipino people will want to make sure that there is justice made it out because nahihirapan ang mga tao sa mga ganyang gulo," he said. Revilla said that with the lifting of PP 1017, Filipinos could now heave a sigh of relief and move on to face the real problems confronting the country such as poverty, unemployment and escalating prices of basic commodities. “Now is the most opportune time to call for the opposition and administration to join hands in reversing the effects of the political unrest that has crippled the economy," Revilla said.-GMANews.TV