Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel called out Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez after missing the sessions of the Senate Blue Ribbon group looking into the sugar importation fiasco.
“Matindi si Executive Secretary… Bigyan naman niya ng time ang Senate Blue Ribbon committee na makapagtanong ang mga miyembro tungkol sa sinabi niya,” said Sen. Pimentel.
The executive secretary notified Sen. Francis Tolentino, head of the panel, that due to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s abroad travels, he would not be present for the hearing’s continuation the following week on the topic of sugar importation.
All government employees should respect the Senate Blue Ribbon group, according to Pimentel.
“It weakens the committee. If the Senate Blue Ribbon committee is weakened, it weakens the entire institution of the Senate. ‘Yan ang pinaka-powerful naming committee, pinakamahalaga naming committee ‘yan,” added the senator.
Rodriguez was present for the first hearing on August 23 but was absent for the second because of a Cabinet meeting.
