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Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Senate Blue Ribbon committee won't restart Pidal probe
IT'S final.
The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will not reopen its inquiry on the controversial Jose Pidal account until new evidences are presented in the hearing, according to Sen. Joker Arroyo.
Arroyo said no matter what the minority bloc would do, he would stand firm in his decision not to reopen the investigation.
"They can do what they want. If they want to wreck the committee system, which is a foundation of any congressional work, they can do so," Arroyo said.
The Senate minority group Monday discussed the possibility of reopening the Jose Pidal inquiry.
Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, chairman of the Senate committee on banks, currencies and financial institution, said the opposition senators agreed to reopen the inquiry even if the Blue Ribbon will not do so.
"The minority group decided to continue the Jose Pidal issue in order to tie loose ends that were left hanging," Osmena pointed out.
Osmena said existing bank laws should be studied carefully to see if there is a need to amend them. He warned that opportunists might use the loopholes in the laws.
Also, the opposition senators want to uncover who is the real Jose Pidal, who owns multimillion-peso bank accounts.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson earlier said First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is Jose Pidal but Jose Miguel's sibling, Ignacio, later came out and claimed ownership of the accounts.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, on the other hand, supports Arroyo and said that any issue connected with the Jose Pidal controversy should be referred to the three committees, with the Blue Ribbon as the lead committee.
Drilon said the Jose Pidal case is a matter that should be resolved by the three committees because the rules clearly state that it is referred to them. JPM
(November 25, 2003 issue)
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