Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Malacañang’s directive for officials not to attend the Senate hearings on the alleged mismanagement of the P8-billion OWWA trust fund is based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the President’s use of "executive privilege" in preventing officials from testifying in congressional investigations.

Ermita said any invitation sent out by congressional committees for officials to testify in congressional investigations should, as cited by the Supreme Court ruling on the controversial Executive Order 464, contain the legislation proposed to be drawn up through the aid of the investigation and the possible topics to be discussed during the actual hearings.

"I sent a letter to the Senate to set the parameters for the appearance of officials in the Senate investigation, and the basis of that letter is the Supreme Court’s decision on Executive Order 464. I said there that the invitation should include the proposed legislation and the advanced knowledge of issues to be tackled during the hearings," Ermita said, referring to his letter to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada expressing Malacañang’s refusal to allow officials to attend the Senate hearings on the alleged mismanagement of the OWWA trust fund.

Estrada’s congressional oversight committee on labor and employment started this week an inquiry on the OWWA fund to determine the integrity of the fund and the disbursements made from it for the repatriation of Filipinos from strife-torn Lebanon.

However, officials of the OWWA, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Labor and Employment snubbed the first hearing held last Monday, citing the order from Malacañang for them not to attend and instead hold a series of press conferences on the issue at the Palace.

Ermita said the refusal of Malacañang to allow officials to attend the Senate inquiry on the integrity of the OWWA trust fund is "not a sign of defiance of the Senate’s oversight functions already upheld by the Supreme Court’s decision on EO 464.

EO 464 was issued by President Arroyo last year to prevent even low- ranking police, military, and government officials from testifying in congressional investigations which were probing the controversial issues of electoral fraud and corruption allegedly involving her and some officials close to her.

The Supreme Court later declared the executive order unconstitutional, but upheld the President’s prerogative to use her "executive privilege" in requiring officials invited to congressional inquiries to seek her permission before appearing in Senate hearings. (David Cagahastian)

House defers probe on workers’ funds

By BEN R. ROSARIO

The House of Representatives has decided to defer its probe on the alleged irregularities in the disbursement of OFW funds and has urged the Senate to do the same.

Majority Leader Prospero Nograles, together with Reps. Joel Mayo Almario (Lakas, Davao Oriental) and Mauricio Domogan (Lakas, Baguio City), appealed for a temporary shelving of the Senate probe on the issue in order that the government can concentrate on efforts to help thousands of OFWs trapped in war-torn Lebanon.

The House Committee on OFWs, chaired by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, has agreed to the proposal of the House leadership.

"I think all efforts should be concentrated on the repatriation of our OFWs. We must first ensure its success," Lagman said.

Lagman said the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Lakas, Cebu), has not yet scheduled any hearing, although he expects a joint committee inquiry into the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) fund controversy.

Lagman said his committee has been examining OWWA funds in the past six weeks, and is satisfied that the agency’s disbursements is above board.

"The Senate must defer its investigation and instead look into the safety of our workers being evacuated. Surely, there is a time and place for everything under the sun," said Nograles.

Almario, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said despite the brief suspension of Israeli bombing attacks on Lebanon, the crisis affecting thousands of OFWs in Beirut is still not over.

"Once their evacuation task is finished, then legislators can start the probe. The most urgent task of the government is to get every OFW out of Lebanon," said Almario.

He stressed that their appeal to the Senate should not be misconstrued as a move to prevent the legislative department from investigating OWWA’s R8- billion fund.

"We are not asking that the investigation be stopped because we also want to know the status of the OWWA funds and the government’s state of readiness to secure every OFW in case of international conflicts," Almario stated in a press statement.

Domogan deplored the brewing tension between Malacañang and the Senate in connection with the evacuation efforts of the government.

"We urge senators to be more supportive of the Executive’s ongoing evacuation efforts and provide them the much-needed support, instead of threats to arrest some officials," said Domogan.