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| ('Tapat News) |
THERE is a Drilon-Lacson
resolution allowing Sen. Leila de Lima to participate in plenary sessions of
the senate through video conferencing. This is supported by Senate President
Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto.
The resolution makes sense. Leila De Lima is an incumbent senator and she
was elected by 14.1 million Filipino citizens. The people has given her this
mandate. It is an injustice to the people not respect their will, especially
now this can be done by the modern ways of communication. She may be behind
bars but she has not been convicted on the charges levelled against her.
Through modern technology, by video conferencing, she can perform her duty in
participating in the discussions during plenary sessions even remotely. There
are only 24 senators. The voice of each one is needed to enrich the discussions
– and the decisions – that are done in this august hall. If ordinary workers
can now work from home, thanks of the Telecommuting Law which Duterte signed
into law last December, then Senator de Lima can certainly do it from her
prison cell. The good Senator is doing her work as an elected official from her
cell, crafting laws and commenting on pieces of legislations and sending them
to the senate. This is tedious but she does it. Her participation in the
deliberations on the senate floor itself can be further enhanced by being there
in the plenary sessions, though remotely.
The senate is open to ideas coming from the public to
enlighten them on the laws they are making. They even invite resource persons
to speak. Why not allow one who is in their rolls, elected by the people as all
the 23 of them are, to participate in their discussions? Sen De Lima has the
experience and the brilliance to add to the wisdom of the senate discussions.
Allow her to participate. This is part of the democratic space that is accorded
to her as an elected lawmaker.
I hope it is not the fear of the administration – and the
other senators - of her fiery character and independent ideas that is keeping
her from the participation in the floor of the senate.
Broderick Pabillo
August 28, 2019
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