THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ran into trouble with senators hearing its budget after it refused to comply with a subpoena from the Blue Ribbon Committee probing the controversial procurement of overpriced and outdated laptops for public school teachers.
During the Senate’s plenary debates Thursday, November 17, 2022, on the PSA’s proposed 2023 budget, the Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson, Sen. Francis Tolentino, said a subpoena duces tecum signed by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri was sent to the PSA for a copy of the death certificate of a notary public who legalized the agreement between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM) for the laptop purchase.
The PSA, however, rejected the Senate panel’s request and invoked data privacy based on an internal circular.
Tolentino said the rejection was a defiance of the Senate’s constitutionally-recognized mandate to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. “If that is not indirect contempt, I don’t know what to call it,” Tolentino said in mixed English and Filipino.
“I ask the PSA not to disrespect us like this…Respect the law, respect the Constitution, respect the Philippine Senate,” he told PSA officials.
Earlier, Sen. Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, defended the P9.73-billion PSA budget along with the agency’s head Claire Dennis Mapa.
Angara defended the PSA budget for the second time after the Senate deferred its submission last Wednesday, pending the interpellation of Tolentino. After Tolentino’s interpellation, the PSA budget was deemed submitted for the body’s consideration. Butch Fernandez