The majority and minority bloc had some sort of a “rivalry” when it comes to the need to denounce the unabated extrajudicial killings (EJKs) of suspected drug dealers and drug users.
Not to be outdone by the Senate minority bloc in condemning the EJKs of alleged drug personalities, the majority group on Wednesday also came up with a resolution denouncing the summary executions of individuals involved in illegal drugs.
The minority group on Monday filed Senate Resolution 516 urging the government to undertake the necessary steps to stop the spate of killings, especially of children, and directing the proper Senate committee to investigate these killings.
The opposition bloc spearheaded SRN 516 principally authored by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan while Sen. Migz Zubiri, from the majority bloc drafted SRN 518.
SRN 516 was signed by the 6 members of the minority bloc and 11 members of the majority bloc. Those who supposedly “failed” to sign SRN 516 were Senators Koko Pimentel, Dick Gordon, Greg Honasan, Manny Pacquiao, Tito Sotto, Cynthia Villar, and Zubiri.
The seven senators, however, complained that they were lambasted in social media for their alleged “refusal” to sign SRN 516.
Zubiri complained that a blog had published a so-called fake news, with hashtag #SilentNoMorePH, which made it appear that the seven senators purposely refused to sign Resolution No. 516 calling for an inquiry on EJKs especially on deaths of juveniles.
“The fake news was authored by someone who was not part of the media assigned to the Senate beat,” he said.
“The same item carried common wordings as three items in three newspapers, but which did not originate in the Senate press office,” Zubiri added.
SRN 518 was signed by 16 senators from the majority bloc namely Senators Koko Pimentel, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Chiz Escudero, Win Gatchalian, Dick Gordon, Greg Honasan, Ping Lacson, Loren Legarda, Manny Pacquiao, Grace Poe, Ralph Recto, Tito Sotto, Joel Villanueva (on leave, will sign) and Cynthia Villar.
