High Court upholds Senate power to probe airport, police officials

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the power of the Senate to investigate airport and police officials allegedly involved in the disappearance in 2008 of Engineer Rodolfo Lozada, a principal witness in the shelved P16-billion government deal for a National Broadband Network (NBN) with Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) of China. Lozada decided to return to Manila on February 5, 2008 to air his testimonies in the now botched NBN deal. Upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), however, airport and police personnel reportedly whisked him out of the airport and brought him to Laguna. Then senator, now President Benigno S. Aquino III, and members of the Senate’s office of the seargeantat-arms were to fetch Lozada. Lozada was returned to Manila when his disappearance gained prominence in the newspapers. Then Sen. Aquino delivered a privilege speech asking the Senate to look into the disappearance of Lozada. Lozada eventually testified in the Senate hearing conducted by the Committees on Blue Ribbon, Trade and Commerce, and National Defense and Security. The summon for airport and police officers to appear during the investigation was challenged before the SC. In resolving the issue, the SC said the power of Congress to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation “is broad” and “is essential and appropriate auxiliary to the legislative function.” It pointed out that the disappearance of a material witness to the investigation, which may be related to the anomalies being investigated is relevant to the inquiry.