Executive stonewalls OWWA hearing - Malaya 08.01.2006
THREE Executive department officials, led by Labor Secretary Labor Arturo Brion, were no-shows yesterday at the opening hearing of a Senate inquiry into the evacuation of Filipino workers in Lebanon.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said it is in the national interest that Brion, Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. and Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Marianito Roque "are allowed to do their job with undiminished time and attention."
Ermita, in a letter dated July 29 addressed to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the committee on labor and employment, also said the invitation sent out by the committee did not refer to any possible needed statute that prompted the inquiry.
He added that no questions were sent relative to the inquiry. He said the questions would enable officials to prepare for the hearing.
He said until the information is provided by the Senate, the invited government officials would not be able to attend the hearing that was set for Monday afternoon in connection with the resolution filed by Sen. Richard Gordon.
Ermita gave no reason for his preconditions for the appearance of Brion, Conejos and Roque.
But Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said it was in line with the Supreme Court ruling on Executive Order 464 which barred Cabinet members and other high officials from appearing in congressional inquiries without the permission of President Arroyo.
The Supreme Court has struck down EO 464 for being unconstitutional. It said only Cabinet officials need presidential permission to appear and only during the Question Hour.
Senate President Manuel Villar said he was inclined to issue subpoenas to Cabinet officials who refuse to attend Senate inquiries.
"Subpoena muna bago contempt. But I urge them to attend the hearings and not invoke Executive Order 464," Villar said.
The inquiry was prompted by a resolution filed by Gordon calling for an "inquiry in aid of legislation on the plans and resources of concerned government agencies for the repatriation of OFWs in Lebanon.
Gordon filed the resolution after Ambassador to Lebanon Al Francis Bichara said his mission did not have enough funds for evacuation and repatriation.
Bunye said Ermita’s position was well within the Supreme Court ruling.
"The Supreme Court recognized that there are certain conditions under which members of the executive may attend the legislative hearing… (and) this is based on the conditions cited by the good executive secretary," he added.
Asked if the officials would attend the hearings once the crisis was over, Bunye said the Senate or the House must first comply with the two requirements mentioned by Ermita.
Bunye said by insisting on this, the Executive is also "laying the premises for the appearance of members of executive in future legislative hearings in consonance with the conditions mentioned in the Supreme Court decision."
Roque said he was prepared to attend the hearing but aside from attending to evacuation, he was also documenting all the funds released and spent.
"In the first place we don’t have anything to hide, the book of accounts of OWWA are regularly audited by the Commission on Audit," he said. – Jocelyn Montemayor and Dennis Gadil
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said it is in the national interest that Brion, Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. and Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Marianito Roque "are allowed to do their job with undiminished time and attention."
Ermita, in a letter dated July 29 addressed to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the committee on labor and employment, also said the invitation sent out by the committee did not refer to any possible needed statute that prompted the inquiry.
He added that no questions were sent relative to the inquiry. He said the questions would enable officials to prepare for the hearing.
He said until the information is provided by the Senate, the invited government officials would not be able to attend the hearing that was set for Monday afternoon in connection with the resolution filed by Sen. Richard Gordon.
Ermita gave no reason for his preconditions for the appearance of Brion, Conejos and Roque.
But Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said it was in line with the Supreme Court ruling on Executive Order 464 which barred Cabinet members and other high officials from appearing in congressional inquiries without the permission of President Arroyo.
The Supreme Court has struck down EO 464 for being unconstitutional. It said only Cabinet officials need presidential permission to appear and only during the Question Hour.
Senate President Manuel Villar said he was inclined to issue subpoenas to Cabinet officials who refuse to attend Senate inquiries.
"Subpoena muna bago contempt. But I urge them to attend the hearings and not invoke Executive Order 464," Villar said.
The inquiry was prompted by a resolution filed by Gordon calling for an "inquiry in aid of legislation on the plans and resources of concerned government agencies for the repatriation of OFWs in Lebanon.
Gordon filed the resolution after Ambassador to Lebanon Al Francis Bichara said his mission did not have enough funds for evacuation and repatriation.
Bunye said Ermita’s position was well within the Supreme Court ruling.
"The Supreme Court recognized that there are certain conditions under which members of the executive may attend the legislative hearing… (and) this is based on the conditions cited by the good executive secretary," he added.
Asked if the officials would attend the hearings once the crisis was over, Bunye said the Senate or the House must first comply with the two requirements mentioned by Ermita.
Bunye said by insisting on this, the Executive is also "laying the premises for the appearance of members of executive in future legislative hearings in consonance with the conditions mentioned in the Supreme Court decision."
Roque said he was prepared to attend the hearing but aside from attending to evacuation, he was also documenting all the funds released and spent.
"In the first place we don’t have anything to hide, the book of accounts of OWWA are regularly audited by the Commission on Audit," he said. – Jocelyn Montemayor and Dennis Gadil
posted by brodkaster43 at Martes, Agosto 01, 2006
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