House members investigating Mamasapano fiasco block motion of Makabayan bloc to send questions to President Aquino

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 7): House members investigating Mamasapano fiasco block motion of Makabayan bloc to send questions to President Aquino

Members of the joint House committees investigating the Mamasapano incident on Tuesday decided to junk the proposal of Makabayan bloc to send questions to President Benigno Aquino III regarding the Mamasapano fiasco.

Voting 14-3, House committee on public order and safety chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer junk the motion made by Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares to send the questionnaire to Malacañang and ask the President to reply in written form.

The three lawmakers who voted in favor of the motion from the committee were Colmenares, and fellow militant lawmakers Gabriela party-list Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Luz Ilagan, all members of the Makabayan bloc.

The House committee on peace, reconciliation and unity, meanwhile, voted 17-2 to turn down Colmenares’ proposal when Basilan Rep. Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman called for a vote.

Only Colmenares and fellow Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate stood up when asked who among the committee members were in favor of sending the questions to Malacañang.

Earlier in the hearing, lawmakers had a heated debate on whether or not to send the Makabayan bloc’s questions to the President, with the administration allies saying he cannot be made to answer them.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said asking the President to answer the 20 questions drafted by the progressive bloc will “set a dangerous precedent” and make Congress the most powerful branch of government.

“Asking the President to answer their (Makabayan bloc’s) questions would create far-reaching consequences which would affect the very foundations of our democracy,” Barzaga told attendees.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=750956