Senators Richard Gordon and Leila De Lima clashed again on Thursday as the Senate committee on justice and human rights resumed hearing the spate of alleged extrajudicial killings amid the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Tension started when De Lima raised two motions—to allow Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Chito Gascon to speak and explain the CHR’s side on a statement of one of its commissioners that criticized Gordon, and to defer the discussions on the death penalty bill in the same hearing.

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“You can’t control this committee. I don’t want another distraction. We can’t be forever distracted,” Gordon told De Lima.

Gordon said he was not demanding an apology from the CHR.

He informed De Lima that Gascon already called him and apologized over the statements of Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz Jr., who accused the senator of “prematurely” suspending the inquiry on extrajudicial killings and called him a “coward.”

Gordon said he did not suspend the inquiry but only a hearing.

“Hindi po appropriate na kung anu-anong issue ang hinahalo niyo,” De Lima said at one point of their heated exchange, to which Gordon replied: “Anong hinahalo? Ikaw ang naghahalo ng mga issue.”

Citing a text of Gascon, Gordon said the CHR chair explained that the remarks of Cadiz did not reflect the position of the CHR en banc.

The senator said he was satisfied with the apology of Gascon.

When De Lima insisted to suspend discussion on the proposed imposition of the death penalty for drug cases, Gordon rebuffed her.

“You can’t control this committee. I don’t want another distraction. We can’t be forever distracted,” Gordon told De Lima.

“I am not going to veer from the purpose of this investigation,” he added.

This prompted De Lima to make a motion to defer the death penalty issue. Gordon shot down the motion due to a lack of vote.

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“Hindi po appropriate na kung anu-anong issue ang hinahalo niyo,” De Lima said at one point of their heated exchange, to which Gordon replied: “Anong hinahalo? Ikaw ang naghahalo ng mga issue.”

Gordon said the committee will come up with a report by Monday, which will be submitted to the Ombudsman. CBB/rga

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