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Enrile: 'I will not cover up the asses of anyone'

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abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/20/2008 1:34 PM

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Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday said corruption probes being done by the Senate would continue, saying he would not cover up any wrongdoing for anybody.

"If it has to be investigated by the Senate, it will. With regard to ongoing investigations, these will continue. I am not going to cover up for anybody," he told Korina Sanchez on dzMM's Failon at Sanchez Thursday.

Enrile replaced Senator Manuel Villar in a Senate coup last Tuesday.

He said "even the case of Senator Manny Villar in the ethics committee" on alleged double entries for the C-5 road project will be pursued.
 
"Anybody accused must be held to account. Enrile is not going to cover up the asses of anyone.  If they are guilty, if they have committed any violation of the law, or violation of acceptable conduct as members of the Senate, they have to answer to the people and to the institution," he said.

Enrile said those facing complaints will be given opportunities to defend themselves.

"All that I will require will be fairness and respect for the the dignity of the people who will appear in the investigation," he said.

Enrile said the Senate blue ribbon committee probe into the P728-million fertilizer fund scam will not be affected by the change in Senate leadership.

He said the Senate blue ribbon committee will either go to Senator Richard 'Dick' Gordon or Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero since they are both lawyers.

"Dick Gordon or Chiz. More likely, Dick will get blue ribbon committee," Enrile said. "You need a lawyer there because there are many rules of evidence in  blue ribbon investigations."

The only committees that have been assigned so far are Senate accounts, ways and means, and ethics, which have been assigned to Senator Panfilo Lacson; the Senate finance committee will go to Senator Edgardo Angara; the education committee will go to Senator Manuel Roxas, who will also retain the trade and industry committee.

Enrile said the senators will meet on Monday to discuss the new committee chairmanships.

Meanwhile, the new Senate majority floorleader Juan Miguel Zubiri told ANC Thursday that the senators will have a breakfast caucus on Monday to finalize the committee assignments.

He said there are 36 Senate committees that will be assigned to 23 senators. Zubiri said he wants to keep the Senate committee on cooperatives.

Zubiri also said the new Senate leadership will not necessarily lead to charter change.

He said the potential presidential candidates in 2010 will likely abandon the new Senate majority if there is a move toward a Constituent Assembly.

He said Senators Gordon, Lacson, Roxas, Escudero, and Loren Legarda, all with presidential plans, will likely leave the new majority if there is a move toward a Constitutent Assembly.

Zubiri said he personally favors Constitutional Convention as the mode to amend the charter rather than a Constituent Assembly.

He said some people in Malacañang Palace want a Constituent Assembly, but he said this is not likely to happen due to the expected political backlash.

Zubiri said a Constitutional Convention is more acceptable to many sectors, including the Catholic church. A Con-Con will also give many sectors a chance to participate in the drafting of a new charter.