No intention to stop ‘PDEA leaks’ probe —Chiz Escudero

Senate Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Sunday denied that he will interfere with the Senate panel’s investigation into the supposed leaked confidential documents linking President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, the newly installed senate president said that it is up to Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, who chairs the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, how he would settle the investigation.

“Sinabihan ko siya na opsyon niya palagi habang recess na maghain na ng resolution at sa una o pangalawang araw lamang ng pag-resume namin, ire-refer namin sa kumite niya para ‘di na makwestyon ninuman ang pagdinig niya at mabigyan linaw ng konti ang pagdinig niya,” Escudero said.

(I told him that he has an option during the Senate’s recess to file a resolution and once we resume, we will refer it to his committee so that no one can question his hearing and it can be clarified a little.)

“Pero kaugnay sa pagpigil, walang ganong intensyon,” he added.

(But I have no intention to stop the hearing.)

Dela Rosa’s Senate probe into the alleged leaked PDEA documents was floated as among the reasons why Senator Juan Miguel "Migz” Zubiri was ousted as senate president.

Escudero, who had admitted that he initiated the move to replace Zubiri as the head of the upper chamber, clarified that the investigation which linked Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano to illegal drugs, was not the reason for the ouster.

“Kaya nga naging emosyonal si Senator Bato, dahil ang sinasabi, siya daw ang dahilan kung bakit natanggal. Nung nakausap ko nga si Senator Bato, sabi ko, kung ikaw ang dahilan, ikaw na lang sana ang tinanggal namin, bakit si Senator Zubiri pa,” Escudero said. 

(Senator Bato became emotional because they were saying that his investigation was the reason why Zubiri was ousted. When I talked to Senator Bato, I said, if he was the reason, we should’ve ousted him, not Zubiri.)

“Pero hindi po ‘yun ang dahilan and hindi ‘yun ang rason kung bakit,” he added.

(But that's not the reason why he was ousted.)

Dela Rosa, who was among the senators seen weeping during the resignation speech of Zubiri, last Tuesday admitted that he signed the resolution seeking to install Escudero as the new Senate head.

Asked if he turned emotional because he is leading the Senate probe into the supposed leaked PDEA documents, Dela Rosa said, "Kasama na rin iyon (That's one of the reasons)."—RF, GMA Integrated News