Philippines: Senate House wrangle over Bolante case.

The Arroyo government will do anything to try and keep the Senate from questioning Joc Joc Bolante. The House is controlled by Arroyo. Stay tuned for the next episode in Arroyo's plots to foil those evildoer Senators!

Senate, House wrangle over Bolante case
November 12, 2008 04:28:00
Christine Avendaño Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee is not inclined to yield to the House of Representatives for first crack at questioning Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam because this might prevent the Senate from proceeding with its own inquiry on Thursday.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano Tuesday said the former agriculture undersecretary’s “testimony in person” was “so valuable” to the Senate. He also said the House inquiry scheduled for Wednesday could lead to two scenarios—Bolante could be cited for contempt and end up being detained at the House, or he could be so stressed by his experience that he would land in hospital again.
Bolante, who had requested to be allowed to remain at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, is under the custody of the Senate Sergeant at Arms.
He is not expected to attend Wednesday’s hearing at the House because congressmen had refused to accede to his request that they seek permission from the Senate on his behalf.
But Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra, chair of the House committee on agriculture, announced at a press conference that Wednesday’s hearing would go on as scheduled “with or without Bolante.”
According to Mitra, officials from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Management and Commission on Audit, a “Mrs. Aytona,” the purported runner of the fertilizer scam, and the House members who had received the fertilizer funds were willing to take the stand.
Disappointed
Mitra said the House was “very disappointed” that Bolante had declined its invitation on grounds that the Senate had jurisdiction over his case.
Wrote Bolante in a letter sent to Mitra Tuesday: “Much as I would like to contribute to the success of the hearing, I regret to inform you that I am presently under the custody of the Senate because of the warrant of arrest dated Dec. 12, 2005, and therefore I am not in a position to honor your invitation.
“On this note, may I respectfully [request] your honorable committee to help me secure the necessary clearance from the Senate, and I further request a copy of the questions to be asked in order that I may be informed as to the matters that are to be covered by the inquiry.”
Mitra said he had consulted with the House committee on rules and was advised against writing to the Senate on grounds that the two chambers were co-equal, and that the validity of the Senate’s arrest warrant on Bolante had yet to be finalized. He said the House had also rejected Bolante’s request for an advance copy of its questions.
“There is no basis for that. Besides, how can I predict what the members will ask him?” Mitra said.
Tug of war
Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Panfilo Lacson urged Senate President Manuel Villar to ask Speaker Prospero Nograles to defer the House inquiry so as to avert what Lacson described as a “tug of war” between the two chambers.
“Too much wrangling or a confrontation between the two chambers would not add to the peace of this nation,” Enrile told Villar as he took the floor at the start of the session.
“May I suggest, to [prevent] an adversarial position from developing, that the Senate President communicate to the Speaker so that we will have no wrangling between the two chambers,” Enrile said.
Lacson issued the reminder that Senate took pains to seek custody of Bolante when the latter fled to the United States.
“Inter-chamber courtesy dictates that the House defer because, after all, the Senate has custody, the Senate has original jurisdiction, the Senate has already started investigation,” he said.