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Sen. Bam on Lascanas: Explain retraction

Hearing retired policeman Arthur Lascanas’ confession on the Davao Death Squad (DDS) is an indication of the Senate’s independence, according to deputy minority leader Sen. Bam Aquino.

​​“The Senate should not shirk from pursuing the truth. Kailangan malaman ng taumbayan ang buong katotohanan sa isyung ito,” said Sen. Bam, who was among 10 senators who voted to hear Lascanas’ claim.

​​During his previous Senate appearance last year, Lascanas denied the claim of Edgar Matobato regarding the existence of the DDS.

​​However, Lascanas retracted his statement last Feb. 20, saying the DDS indeed exists and former Davao City mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the killings.

 ​​It was also revealed that Lascanas wrote a confession in 2015, detailing all his knowledge about the DDS.

 ​​“These are heavy allegations against the president and it is our duty as an independent body to investigate,” said Sen. Bam.

​Sen. Bam also wanted Lascanas to explain why he is changing his story.

​​“Gusto natin malaman kung ano ang kaniyang  rason sa pagbabago ng kuwento at bakit siya umaamin sa mga nagawang krimen,” the senator said.

​​However, Sen. Bam said perjury will be the least of Lascanas’ worries as he admitted committing several murders when he recanted his testimony.

Lascanas will face the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, headed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, on Monday (March 6).

Bam: No rush, no secret votes on death penalty proposal

No railroading, no secret votes.

Sen. Bam Aquino said the Senate must allow the proper legislative process to run its course on the proposal to restore the death penalty.

 “We will not allow it to be rushed. We must ensure that proper debate on the matter be conducted,” said Sen. Bam, the newly designated deputy minority leader.

 In addition, Sen. Bam said senators must reveal their respective votes on the proposal to ensure accountability and transparency.

 “We will not allow votes to be anonymous or hidden and we will ensure accountability among our colleagues,” said Sen. Bam.

  “Bilang mga kinatawan ng mamamayan, dapat panindigan ng bawat senador ang kanilang magiging boto at kung kailangan ipaliwanag ang kanilang posisyon sa taumbayan,” he added.

 Through this, Sen. Bam said the Senate will show that it can still be an independent institution even with the heightened political strife in the country.

The House drew flak after it approved the death penalty on second reading via viva voce vote, or through loud voices.

 Earlier, Sen. Bam declared that the new minority will actively participate in debates once the proposal reaches the Senate floor.

 “Buhay po ang nakasasalalay dito kaya mahalaga na dumaan sa tamang proseso. Sa tingin po namin, dehado na naman ang mga kababayan nating mahihirap sa death penalty kaya tutol po kami rito,” the senator said.

 “I am still hopeful that my fellow senators will not vote across partisan lines and vote with their conscience on this matter. In the end, we may even be enough to take a stand,” he added.

Expect serious debate on death penalty — Bam

The proposal to revive death penalty will be seriously debated once it reaches the Senate plenary, Sen. Bam Aquino assured.

 “The minority will play an active role in the debates and we will make sure that counter perspectives are given a space in the Senate,” said Sen. Bam, who was recently elected deputy minority leader.

 “Filipino lives are at stake here at karamihan pa sa mga ito’y puro mahihirap na Pilipino na kadalasa’y dehado pagdating sa hukuman at sa mata na batas,” he added.

The Committee on Justice recently started hearing proposals to restore the death penalty.

However, the public hearing was indefinitely suspended amid worries that the country might violate the Treaty of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) it signed in 1986.

 The treaty prevents states from carrying out execution as a form of punishment.

During that hearing, Sen. Bam urged fellow lawmakers to confer with foreign affairs officials regarding international treaties in connection with death penalty reinstatement.

The senator also wants economic managers to speak about the impact of death penalty on jobs and trade agreements entered into by the government in the past.

 “This move will also affect some of the treaties, conventions, and agreements we’ve already signed up to,” Sen. Bam said.

“Napakabigat ng isyung ito. Hindi dapat madaliin ang debate, lalo na’t makikinig ang publiko sa mga argumento sa Senado,” he added.

Bam to continue working on priority measures with minority

Sen. Bam Aquino’s new role as member of the Senate minority will not prevent him from pursuing passage of laws that will uplift lives of the Filipino people.

“Though we have a new role as the minority, sisiguraduhin pa rin namin na maipapasa ang mga batas na makakabuti sa ating mga kababayan,” said Sen, Bam, who was stripped of the Committee on Education’s chairmanship and replaced by Sen. Chiz Escudero last Monday.

“Hindi maliit na bagay ang pagkawala ng chairmanship sa kumite ng edukasyon. I chose the committee because there were a number of reforms we wanted to push like free tuition in SUCs and feeding program in public schools,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam also thanked Sen. Escudero for committing to continue the work that he started on several priority measures.

Before he was replaced, Sen. Bam was spearheading the interpellation on two education-related measures — the Free Tuition Fees in SUCs Act and the Pagkaing Pinoy Para sa Batang Pinoy.

“Sen. Escudero agreed to let me work on my priority education bills until they become laws,” Sen. Bam said.

The senator also thanked Sen. Grace Poe for acknowledging the committee’s work during his stint as chairman. Poe is a staunch advocate of the Pagkaing Pinoy Para sa Batang Pinoy Act.

While some senators have stated that the Liberal Party has hampered work on the Senate’s legislative agenda, LP President Sen. Kiko Pangilinan asserted that 20 out of 29 bills close to being passed are defended by LP lawmakers.

 In the past 6 months, Sen. Bam has filed 118 bills and 26 resolutions, has sponsored 4 committee reports, and conducted committee hearings for 5 resolutions and 15 bills.

Bam on removal as committee chairman: Nasampolan kami!

Nasampolan kami!

 This was how Sen. Bam Aquino described the move to replace him as chairman of the Committee on Education and strip other Liberal Party (LP) members of their respective committees.

 “This is really a political move – a partisan move. Palagay ko nasampolan kami because we’ve been speaking out against certain policies like the death penalty. Tutol kami doon,” Sen. Bam said in a radio interview.

 “Iyong pagbaba ng age of criminal liability, iyong pagsuporta kay Senador De Lima at iyong pagpunta namin sa EDSA,” he added.

During the session, Sen. Bam manifested that “if this is the price to pay to show up on the streets of EDSA, talking about democracy, talking about the issues of  violence on our streets, I gladly pay that price”.

After he was removed as committee chairman, Sen. Bam manifested that the move had nothing to do with the performance of the Committee on Education, to which no senator objected to.

 “I chose the education committee because may plano kami, may reporma kaming gustong itinulak. Thankfully, Sen. Chiz Escudero seems to be intent in pushing the same reforms. But it’s not a light matter because you put a lot of effort, you work on these bills,” Sen. Bam said.

Before he was replaced by Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Bam was spearheading the interpellation on two significant education bills – the Free Tuition Fees in SUCs Act and the Pagkaing Pinoy Para sa Batang Pinoy measure.

“We will support Senator Escudero when he finalizes these bills and hopefully gets a second and third reading. It was a pleasure being your Committee on Education chairman,” Sen. Bam told colleagues.

Bam: Have the PNP become hired guns of foreign syndicates?

Have the Philippine National Police (PNP) become guns for hire of foreign organized crime?

Sen. Bam wonders about this after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre revealed links of a foreign mafia to the kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

 “Kung totoo po iyan, kailangan i-explore. Pero in this case ni Jee Ick Joo, ginamit nila iyong pulis natin. It’s not the case na mga Koreano iyong pumatay sa Koreano kundi mga pulis natin,” said Sen. Bam during the Senate committee on public order hearing on the kidnap/murder case.

 “Dalawa o tatlong pulis at isang civilian, according to his (SPO4 Roy Villegas) story na sumasang-ayong ang PNP, pinatay ang isang South Korean businessman sa kalagitnaan ng PNP,” he added.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after Aguirre claimed that he has received information that the businessman was kidnapped twice by the said mafia before being killed inside Camp Crame.

Senior Supt. Albert Ferro, director of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG), supported Aguirre’s statement, saying only a transnational syndicate can recruit personnel from the PNP and NBI for their illegal operations.

During the hearing, Sen. Bam admonished Villegas for doing nothing while the South Korean was allegedly being strangled by SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel inside a parked car in Camp Crame.

 Villegas, for his part, admitted that he did not do anything to prevent the murder as he was earlier threatened by Sta. Isabel that something will happen to him.

 Sen. Bam also advised policemen who will be in the same situation as SPO4 Villegas to honor their oath to protect the citizentry.

 “Our police should honor their oath. When they are asked to murder, they should stop it, not allow it,” said Sen. Bam.

Bam: People Power belongs to the people

“People can celebrate EDSA People Power 1 in their own way to help keep its memory alive”.

This was Sen. Bam Aquino’s response to government’s plan to hold a quiet and simple ceremony in commemoration of the bloodless revolution’s 31st anniversary Saturday inside Camp Aguinaldo.

 “Ang celebration ng People Power ay nasa taumbayan. Hindi iyan pagmamay-ari ng isang tao o isang pamilya,” Sen. Bam stressed in a television interview.

 “That belongs to the people and it’s up to the people. Maraming iba’t-ibang mga bagay kung paano maaaring ipagdiwang ng taumbayan ang okasyon,” he added.

Sen. Bam said he respects the government’s decision to hold a simple celebration, saying it’s their prerogative.

 “I think government doing that move it’s probably the best move for them at this point, considering that President Duterte is also not attending,” said Sen. Bam.

 Meanwhile, Sen. Bam said the fight against corruption and threat to democracy remains, 31 years after the historic event that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.

“We’re still fighting against corruption. Marami pa ring mga nangyayaring hindi dapat mangyari pagdating sa korapsyon,” Sen. Bam said.

  “We’re fighting for democracy. We’re fighting for people to be able to speak up. Before, they were fighting for press freedom. Now, it’s freedom online – to be able to say what you want to say without being trolled,” he pointed out.

 Sen. Bam also stressed that dissent actually results in better policy, adding that exchange of ideas sometimes leads to better things.

 “We should allow for these democratic spaces, especially this week na inaalala natin ang EDSA,” the lawmaker said.

Bam on SPO3 Arthur Lascanas’ statement

In light of this new information, the Senate must undertake an impartial, transparent, and independent investigation.
 
These allegations are serious and it is for the benefit of all personalities and the Filipino people that we come to the truth.

Bam on DOJ’s case vs Sen. Leila de Lima

Without a paper or money trail and with only contradicting testimonies from some of the worst criminals in our country, the administration files charges and seeks to arrest its staunchest critic.

 And while all of this is being done, government spends its resources trying to acquit the mastermind of the Pork Barrel Scam.

Clearly, there is something wrong with this picture. But it is our new reality.

This act of brazen harassment and perversion of our justice system should not be tolerated.

Bam on Janet Napoles

Bakit kailangang kumilos ang pamahalaan upang protektahan si Janet Napoles?

Tama bang gamitin ng Solicitor General ang pera ng taumbayan upang ipagtanggol ang mga sangkot sa pinakamalaking kaso ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan?

 Malinaw na may mali sa mga pangyayaring ito na ang sistemang panghustisya ng ating bayan ay tila nakapabor sa mga mayayaman at maimpluwensya.

Ito ba ang sistema ng hustisya na bibigyan natin ng kapangyarihang magpataw ng kamatayan?
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