LANAO del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Wednesday called on Senator Bato dela Rosa – a former PNP chief – to apply his expertise as a policeman in examining evidence presented in his committee investigating the alleged existence of “PDEA leaks” that after two hearings has produced no real proof of what it claims.
During the daily briefings of House leaders that was held at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City, Adiong said that although he is friends with Dela Rosa, he disagrees with how he is conducting his hearings into the allegation of dismissed PDEA agent Jonathan Morales.
“Si Senator Bato is a friend, and being a policeman – he is a former PNP chief – alam ho niya ‘yong rules of evidence. If your goal really is to achieve a successful prosecution, you have to have a legal basis and a sound evidence to prove your case,” Adiong said.
In the two hearings of the Senate Committee on Public Order chaired by Dela Rosa, Morales failed to prove the authenticity of the documents he presented, which was denied by the PDEA itself. Aside from this, it was discovered that Morales was dismissed from PDEA because of alleged dishonesty and misconduct.
“Nakikita po natin sa nangyayari ngayon sa Senado sa kanilang investigation, ang mismong institution ang agency na sinasabi na doon nanggaling – allegedly – ang PDEA mismo ang nagsasabi walang verified na accounts, walang verified documents,” Adiong said.
“Yung mismong guest nila, ‘yung mismo ang nagsasabi na totoo ‘yong documents, ay hindi niya ma-pinpoint kung saan niya nakita, sinong nagbigay. Hindi niya ma-eksaktong masabi kung anong month ba ‘yon, ano’ng year ba ‘yon nakita, sino ba ‘yong kausap niya,” he added.
Everything that Morales testified to, Adiong said, is hearsay and cannot be used as evidence.
“Everything is hearsay. Kung ikaw ay isang, you know, based on his background as a policeman, alam po naman natin may mga abugado tayo dito. You present your case, your evidence, to the fiscal, to the prosecutor,” he explained.
“If there’s no evidence, solid evidence, automatic that would go to waste, kumbaga automatic dismissed na po ‘yan,” he declared.
He said the committee hearing of Dela Rosa is supposed to be in aid of legislation or a review of an existing law.
“Ang ibig ko lang pong sabihin is kung itong klase ng committee hearing which is supposedly in aid of legislation, your main objective there is to number one, review existing laws, and then amend them, and then improve on the laws that would make it fitting to the current system or demand ng time, or present circumstance,” Adiong said.
“We don’t see that as the substantive reason for this ongoing investigation, dahil unang-una, wala kang basis ano ba talaga ang gusto natin dito. Ano ba talagang gusto natin, what is the main objective and motive? Kasi magkadugtong po ‘yan eh, ano po ‘yong motibo at ano po ‘yong objective mo?” “If the objective is really to review existing laws, then tell us, what laws would you like to amend?”
