By Johnny Dayang
In response to the many scandals that hog the headlines in recent months, both chambers of Congress have focused their efforts on concerns other than legislating laws.
From transport modernization to anti-dengue vaccines, the subjects covered by many inquiries supposedly conducted ‘in aid of legislation,’ have raised the hackles of some quarters, calling the probes either wasting time or simply “pa-pogi.”
Cynics view legislative investigations as nothing but grandstanding because these allow lawmakers to maximize media exposure for fame and impress their constituents that they are zealously doing their jobs.
Such cynicism is not entirely baseless; it has in fact become a dimension of our political culture. True enough, by actively and intelligently participating in legislative investigations, politicos can promote their enhanced political image.
What flusters certain sectors, however, is the multiple investigations the Senate and the House have conducted that have significantly slackened their urgent legislative functions that amount to tremendous waste or loss of time which could have devoted to urgently legislative work.
Public hearings, in general, are not bad. They facilitate clarification of contentious public issues brought before the legislature, and provide opportunities for extensive public information that helps educate the people and encourage their active participation in desired sound governance.
There are better options, however, to these endless legislative probes, which do not waste the time of Congress. By creating independent commissions vested with the necessary legislative privileges to undertake such studies and inquiries, and submit appropriate recommendations, the House and Senate will be able to formulate well-crafted laws without the irksome political grandstanding.
Of course, there are apprehensions that public hearings outside the focus and glare of television may result in haphazard conclusions. Such apprehensions though may be unnecessary and baseless. Independent commissions, constituted with brilliant members, may be better equipped to dissect issues more extensively since they are not unduly hampered by legislative pressure and they have no political agenda.
Other than impeachment proceedings, so-called probes “in aid of legislation” that are congressional prerogatives, produce information that are vital to formulating new measures to correct loopholes in existing laws. Their recommendations for criminal action against law violators, however, are for law enforcement bodies and the courts to handle.
Perhaps it’s time Congress revisit its rules and consider independent commissions as proxies in legislators’ crusade to ferret out the truth in public issues.
