ANY Senate investigation into the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate premises should concentrate on preventive measures and institutional reforms instead of determining criminal liability, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said the criminal aspect of the incident should be left to law enforcement agencies, and it would be “awkward” for the Senate to investigate itself.
“I will suggest that we let the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or Philippine National Police (PNP), or even the Department of Justice, do the investigation,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino during a radio interview. “Limit the Committee of the Whole inquiry into coming up with remedial legislation or administrative remedies so there will be no repeat of what happened last May 13.”
The lawmaker and former PNP chief said senators should avoid assigning blame or identifying who should face charges, because doing so could turn the proceedings into a public spectacle.
“For me, it’s really awkward for us to be investigating ourselves,” Lacson said in a separate interview. “We would become a spectacle again if we point fingers at each other, so it’s better to have a focused and positive approach.”
He said he intends to raise the matter when the Senate resumes session on Monday.
As part of efforts to establish a clear timeline of events, Lacson said he wants senators to review closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage beginning May 11, when Senator Ronald Dela Rosa reportedly entered the Senate building, until his departure before dawn on May 14.
According to Lacson, reviewing the complete footage would address allegations that previously released video clips were “spliced” and clarify how agents from the NBI attempted to serve an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Dela Rosa.
“We will stick to the facts as it happened and unfolded,” Lacson said.
He also questioned the manner in which the NBI attempted to implement the warrant, noting that only two female agents were reportedly assigned to approach Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa was able to evade the agents and proceed to the session hall on May 11.
“If the NBI had assigned five bigger agents, what happened last May 11 might not have happened,” Lacson said.
He also addressed allegations involving Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who has been accused by critics of helping Dela Rosa evade authorities. He said any effort to hold Padilla accountable must go through the Senate Ethics Committee.
Lacson clarified that the ethics panel cannot initiate an investigation on its own. “A complaint has to be filed, and it has to be sufficient in form and substance for the ethics committee to act on it,” he said.
He added that it may be preferable for a civilian complainant to file the case because any senator who files a complaint would have to inhibit himself or herself from the proceedings.
