Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante said that he will not allow former President Rodrigo Duterte to hurl expletives if he attends the hearings of the House Quad Committee on the anti-illegal drugs campaign of his Administration.
"Kapag nag-mura si (Former President Duterte) ng PI sa aming Quadcomm, point of order pa rin iyan," said Abante on Tuesday, October 29, during a press conference.
Abante stressed that the House of Representatives should not allow any vulgar statements during public hearings.
"Kinakailangan talaga salain natin ito. Bakit? Kapag nasanay tayo diyan, yung mga bata diyan sa kalye ay ganoon din ang gagawin nila," the lawmaker said.
Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Danilo Fernandez also expressed concern over the tendency of Former President Duterte to use cuss words.
Fernandez said that he will ask to strike out from official records any curse word used during the hearings.
"Huwag natin hayaan na dungisan yung institution. Hayaan na natin na dungisan tayong parliamentarians," Fernandez said.
"Hindi natin pwedeng ilagay sa record iyan. Lalabas diyan lahat ng mura, lahat ng masasakit na salita na hinayaan natin at tayo ang sisihin ng future generations for that," he added.
The former Chief Executive recently appeared in the motu proprio inquiry of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the War Against Drugs.
During the hearing on Monday, October 28, Sen. Risa Hontiveros admonished former President Duterte for his repeated use of expletives.
Abante also admitted that he has reservations on inviting the former President to attend the hearings of the House Quad Committee.
The congressman said that Former President Duterte said enough in the Senate for the House Quad Committee to know what happened during the War on Drugs.
"Nasabi na niya lahat ng gusto niyang sabihin sa Senado kaya ano pa ang gusto namin makuha sa kanya. Just for him to be present there," Abante stressed.
"Siguro ang gusto ka lang sabihin na kung if he is well enough to face the Senate, sa palagay ko, kung kinakailangan na imbitahan siya, he should be well enough to face us," he added.
If the House Quad Committee will invite Former President Duterte, Fernandez said that lawmakers will ask the former Chief Executive to further elaborate on the 'reward system' during the War on Drugs.
The lawmaker said that the 'reward system' remains a gray area.
"Marami ng nasagot sa Senado. Ako, particularly, hindi ko na tatanungin yung mga bagay na iyon kasi manifested na iyon under oath. Kunin na lang natin yung mga bagay na medyo hindi pa klaro sa amin," the congressman said.
