Palace-Senate feud and its implicationsThe Philippine Bar Association, the oldest national organization of lawyers established in 1891, has expressed grave concern over recent orders of President Duterte that in effect obstruct the Senate inquiry into transactions related to the government response to the pandemic. We reprint below the full PBA statement to help readers, most of whom are not lawyers, understand better the Malacañang-Senate feud as well as its legal context and socio-political implications. We view the verbal directive as an undue impairment of legislative prerogatives and violates the doctrine of separation of powers. We appeal for President Duterte, a brother in the legal profession, to IMMEDIATELY RECALL his twin directives that in our view constitute clear violations of our Constitution. We must all stand and denounce any act of political expediency that erodes the Rule of Law.

Source: Philippine Star October 06, 2021 15:56 UTC