“The Senate, thru its Blue Ribbon Committee, should uphold its right to investigate in aid of legislation. This right to investigate is a crucial component of the power to enact laws which the Constitution exclusively grants to Congress.” Puno said this constitutional right to investigate in aid of legislation cannot be defeated nor diminished by any confidentiality rule, which is only found in the Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman. “An administrative rule can never negate a constitutional grant of power,” he said. The Former Chief Justice warned that destroying this exclusive power is dangerous because “it can destroy the check and balance mechanism of governmental powers so delicately crafted in our Constitution.” “Worse, any substantial erosion of the power of Congress to investigate in aid of legislation can lead to the impotence of Congress to enact laws.” Puno said the Senate is wrecking itself as an institution, and this, he said, “is the greatest tragedy of the [priority development assistance fund] scandal.” -
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 05:03:22 +0000
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