Sen. Imee Marcos and Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Photo: Senate of the Philippines / Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has issued a show cause order to Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Ambassador Markus Lacanilao after ordering his release following his contempt citation for supposedly “lying” under oath.
Lacanilao was cited in contempt by the foreign relations committee for repeatedly saying he “do[es] not know” that former President Rodrigo Duterte was not brought to a competent national judicial authority before being bundled onto a plane off to the International Criminal Court (ICC) headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.
In his statement released Friday (April 11), Escudero reminded all members of the Senate that the “power of a committee chairperson to order the arrest or detention of any resource person cited in contempt is subject to the approval of the Senate president” under its rules.
Furthermore, Escudero noted that “for unknown reasons” Sen. Imee Marcos who chairs the committee, “appears to have disregarded this long standing rule or conveniently forgotten it” that the Senate President’s approval is “not automatic nor ministerial simply because she desires it.”
“For the record, I did not refuse to sign the contempt order of Ambassador Markus Lacanilao. Senator Marcos released her statement and flaunted to the media her signed arrest and detention order even before I could see, much less receive a copy of it,” Escudero said.
The Senate chief called Lacanilao’s contempt citation as an “unauthorized detention” and therefore ordered his release both as a “matter of regularity and humanitarian consideration” as the latter’s grandfather was scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday.
Chiz asks Lacanilao: Why should you not be cited in contempt?
To comply with the requisites of due process, Escudero issued a show cause order to Lacanilao ordering him to explain within five days why should not be cited in contempt as requested by Marcos.
“I shall decide on whether or not to sign his arrest / detention only thereafter,” Escudero said.
Escudero then issued a stern reminder to those seeking re-election in the coming midterm polls in May that he “will not allow the Senate nor the Office of the Senate President to further petty partisan interests.”
‘Terrible precedent’
Shortly after Lacanilao was set free by Escudero, Marcos released a statement denouncing the Senate chief’s move saying it was “disappointing” and “dangerous.”
Marcos described it as a “terrible precedent” and that “it won’t be the last.”
Escudero concurred to Marcos about the recent episode being a “terrible precedent” but for different reasons.
“I believe it is a dangerous precedent to allow senators to flout the Senate’s own rules for personal gain,” said Escudero.
He ended by leaving a message to Marcos to use her influence to sow unity instead of division.
“I urge Senator Marcos to refrain from using the Senate as a platform for her own personal political objectives and instead use her name, title and influence as a bridge toward unity, not a wedge for division,” said Escudero.
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