Drilon finally decides to sign Napoles subpoena

PASAY CITY – Senate President Franklin Drilon finally decided to sign on Wednesday the subpoena compelling alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles to appear before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
“I have decided to sign the subpoena requested by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III to require Janet Napoles to appear before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee,” Drilon said during the Senate session.
Drilon has come under fire from his colleagues and various sectors for refusing to sign the subpoena for Napoles, the suspected mastermind in a pork barrel scam involving billions of pesos.
No dates yet have been set when Napoles will be called to testify before the Senate panel.
Drilon came around the request of Blue Ribbon Chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona after twice adhering to the Office of the Ombudsman’s opinion to set aside summoning Napoles as it could pose problems in their investigation.

What finally led to his decision to sign the subpoena, Drilon said, was to once and for all, eradicate any public misconception that he was covering up Senate corruption.
“It is unfortunate that my decision to adhere to the decision of Ombudsman Conchito Carpio Morales has been misconstrued as an effort to hide the truth the public criticism,” Drilon said.
“As the head of this institution (Senate) I must lead in restoring the confidence of our people in the Senate,” he added.
Drilon said that his earlier decision to defer the signing of the subpoena even became a chance for members of the opposition to malign him and the administration of President Aquino.
As former Justice Secretary, he said that he always believed in the “paramount pursuit of justice” and stressed that he had “never been a part of any cover up.”
He also said that he considered the pork barrel scam as “a great injustice for the Filipino people” and assured that the Senate will make acting policy changes so there would be no longer be a repeat on multi-billion peso scams.
The Senate President, however, emphasized that with this decision, the Senate will remain committed to the orderly administration of justice.
He added that his earlier decision to adhere to the Ombudsman’s opinion not to summon Napoles was not at all a show of the Senate being bound to the Ombudsman but merely seeking their council.
“We are not bound. We seek their counsel,” Drilon said. “It is up to us (Senate) whether to adhere or ignore the (Ombudsman) advice.”
“Our priority is to prosecute those who are involved and ensure that those who misused public funds will be held accountable for their functions,” he added.
He said that after meeting with Senate officers Sen. Guingona and Senate President Pro Tempore, Ralph Recto, both of them have expressed full support of his decision.
As to when the Senate Blue Ribbon committee probe on Napoles will resume, Sen. Guingona said that he has yet to announce the schedule.