Drilon twits Arroyo allies questioning EO 1 on truth body

“Why only now?" Senator Franklin Drilon on Friday posed this question to several lawmakers who are challenging the legality of President Benigno Aquino III's Executive Order No. 1 that created the Truth Commission, the body expected to look into alleged anomalies of the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Drilon asked House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman and Representatives Rodolfo Albano Jr., Simeon Datumanong and Orlando Fua Jr. — all three are considered allies of Mrs. Arroyo — why they were questioning the validity of EO 1 when they supported the creation of similar commissions during the Arroyo administration. "Why only now? They were silent when Arroyo created several commissions on the basis of executive orders and administrative orders," Drilon said in a statement released Friday. On Thursday, Lagman, Albano, Datumanong, and Fua filed a petition with the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to nullify Aquino's EO because it supposedly violated the separation of powers between the Executive and the Legislative. The petitioners alleged that only Congress has the authority to create a public office such as the Truth Commission. Drilon, however, said that Malacañang did not violate the 1987 Constitution when it created the commission. "The source of authority for the creation of the Truth Commission is the same as that used by Arroyo in creating the Feliciano Commission, Melo Commission and Presidential Anti-Graft Commission," said Drilon, a former Justice secretary. "The Truth Commission is just an investigating and fact-finding body with the same powers as the investigating bodies created by Arroyo. It does not prosecute, its findings are recommendatory in nature and submitted to prosecutorial agencies for further action," he said. The 2003 Feliciano Commission looked into the so-called Oakwood Mutiny of disgruntled military groups, while the 2006 Melo Commission was tasked to investigate the spate of media killings during the Arroyo administration. SC administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the high tribunal will tackle the petition in an en banc, or full court, session on Tuesday.—Kimberly Jane T. Tan/JV, GMANews.TV