Senate cites Duterte's envoy Lacanilao in contempt for lying

The Senate foreign relations committee cited Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao in contempt for allegedly lying during a hearing about last month's arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa accused Lacanilao of providing misleading answers and questioned his role in the rush to surrender Duterte, leading to further clashes between the executive branch and the Senate panel.

On Thursday, April 10, Lacanilao was detained by the Senate sergeant-at-arms during a hearing after almost six hours of questioning but was later released following an order from Senate President Francis Escudero.

Escudero signed a show cause order on Friday requiring Lacanilao to explain within five days why he should not be cited in contempt for 'testifying falsely and evasively'.

Duterte was arrested on March 11 for charges of crimes against humanity related to murders in the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and the war on drugs.

Escudero stated that he had not approved the contempt citation and consequent detention, which is required for arrests in the Senate, and ordered Lacanilao's release based on regularity and humanitarian reasons.

The show cause order is a necessary step to ensure accountability and reinforce the principles of transparency and justice that guide our work, Escudero added.