Lacson questions ‘edited’ version of Senate report

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson pressed yesterday for the submission to the floor of the controversial report on the Question Hour involving Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to make it truly reflective of the sentiments of the Senate.

Lacson insisted that the final report, filed before the Bills and Index Section last Sept. 13, had been sanitized to remove the recommendation to impose sanctions on Col. Victor Corpus, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for violating the AFP chain of command.

The report was based on Reyes’ answers during the Question Hour on Aug. 21 and 30, and Sept. 3, 2001 to allegations that Corpus violated the AFP chain of command when he went to the US to investigate claims that Lacson had bank deposits there totaling $800 million.

It stated that there was indeed a breach, as it described as "appalling" the statement of Reyes that he was a mere presidential appointee and would not dare pass judgment on Corpus’ behavior.

Lacson said that he would not have minded it at all if the changes were merely editorial in nature.

"But the changes were substantive!" Lacson said.

Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda maintained, however, that the report she submitted, which was without any proposed sanction against Corpus, was not sanitized at all. – Efren Danao