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Drilon seeks answers on petition vs gag order: Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, during the continuation of the marathon session on the proposed 2022 budget of the Department of Justice and its attached agencies Wednesday, November 17, 2021, asks Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra if he had discussed with the Executive Secretary the petition filed by senators before the Supreme Court protesting the memorandum circular barring all officials of the executive department from attending the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the controversial Pharmally issue. Drilon also asked the status of the petition and if an answer has already been filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. “I have joined the Senate President in being one of the petitioners in that case before the Supreme Court because we believed this is an issue that affects the institution, not only the (current) Senate but also the future Senate. If left unchallenged, our future Presidents may be tempted to issue similar restrictions, which in our view is unconstitutional,” Drilon said. Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Finance Committee, said Guevarra had discussed the case with the Executive Secretary several times but the President was standing firm on his directive not to allow officials of the executive department to attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Pharmally. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)