CAYETANO WARNS PNP, DILG AGAINST RESURRECTING MC 108 IN SENATE PROBE OF VIOLENT SIEGE OF ILOILO PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

Senator Pia S. Cayetano has joined her colleagues in the Senate in deploring the violence employed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its foiled attempt to physically remove Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. from office last week.

At the same time, Cayetano warned those responsible for the January 17 siege from resurrecting Memorandum Circular 108 and Executive Order 464 to shield themselves from any senate investigation.

"The brazen use of violence and excessive force by the police in its siege of the provincial capitol was both unnecessary and unjustified," Cayetano said.

"The act was an assault on the governor's rights under our laws, as much as it was an assault on the sensibilities of our people and our democracy."

Cayetano, who is currently in Hanoi, Vietnam for the 8th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative forum, has informed Senator Francis Pangilinan of her support for Philippine Senate Resolution Nos. 608 and 609, which condemned the PNP assault and called for a senate investigation.

"I trust that the PNP under the leadership of General Oscar Calderon and the DILG under Secretary Ronaldo Puno will cooperate with the Senate and submit themselves and their men to a thorough investigation," she said.

"I just hope that these officials will not to resurrect Memorandum Circular 108 and Executive Order 464 just to avoid the senate investigation. Ultimately, they would have to be answerable to our people."

Memorandum Circular 108 had been invoked by Executive officials for their non-attendance in congressional inquiries after the Supreme Court voided parts of EO 464 in a landmark decision last year.