“HOW can an alleged hearing be credible when the ingredients are obviously lacking?”
Former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers made this observation on the so-called Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing where a list of names was read by Senator Marcoleta to purposely destroy their reputations while some names were intentionally skipped by him. “Either the list given to him has been sanitized or he did not mention the name deliberately as their group is in good symbiotic company with those he did not mention,” Barbers said.
Barbers was referring to the original joint affidavit of the alleged 18 ex-employees of Zaldy Co, where Senator Loren Legarda was originally included. Legarda then belonged to the other Senate group but has now sided with the group of Cayetano and Marcoleta.
“The selection of names mentioned for character assassination purposely did not include Senator Loren Legarda, who is now aligned with the Cayetano / Marcoleta group. Maybe they have five million reasons for not including and mentioning her name anymore. Your guess is as good as mine,” Barbers said.
“At least we can now clearly see that they were not engaged in an impartial investigation in aid of legislation but in exoneration in aid of destabilization. Maliwanag na maliwanag, destabilization playbook ang sinusunod nila,” Barbers added.
“The purpose of the bogus assembly of the Cayetano/Marcoleta and company is now as clear as day. Clear their allies and destroy the enemy at all costs. Never mind if the Palace and the House of Representatives have recognized the legitimacy of the Gatchalian-led Senate majority of 12 against the Cayetano 10 that even a grade 1 pupil understands,” Barbers said.
“While a congressional investigation in aid of legislation must be impartial, kitang kita nyo naman mula sa pag escort sa entrance, sa tulakan, sa guided question and answer portion hanggang sa paglabas ng mga alleged ‘resource persons,’ na tumayo pa sina Senators Cayetano at Marcoleta habang kinakamayan isa isa ang mga mistulang graduates na nakapila palabas ng kwarto. Actions indeed speak louder than words. Kayo na ang humusga,” Barbers concluded.
