MANILA – Sen. Erwin Tulfo stood firm on his controversial claim that “sometimes you have to bend the law in order to please the people,” drawing sharp criticism from colleagues who warned it could undermine the rule of law as the Senate probed alleged kickbacks in flood control projects.
The remark, delivered at a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, came as lawmakers debated whether contractors implicated in anomalies could qualify for witness protection if they return their supposed loot.
“Sometimes you have to bend the law in order to please the people,” Tulfo said, stressing that protesters who filled the streets on Sept. 21 demanded not only arrests but also the recovery of stolen funds.
Later, in plenary, the neophyte lawmaker doubled down. “I just want to make a point of manifestation. I was the one who said this morning that sometimes we have to bend law. We don’t have to. The point is there is a Latin word that says, ‘vox populi, vox dei’, – the voice of the people is the voice of God. Let me ask you, Mr. President, is our law higher than the voice of God? Is our law higher than the voice of the people? Mr. President, the law is supposed to protect the people,” he said.
He added that last Sunday’s demonstrations were a clear warning to government: “Tama po ‘yun, hindi po, at mayroon pong proseso na sinusunod tayo na kailangan sundin kapag gumulong na ang batas, hayaan na ang korte ang magsabi. Mr. President, tens and thousands of people went out last Sunday…narinig ko po ang sigaw ng taong bayan – ibalik ang pera namin. Malinaw po.”
Tulfo further insisted that contractors like Sarah and Pacifico Discaya should not expect protection unless they return their gains.
“Ang sinasabi ko lang po, ito ay malinaw na ang sinisigaw ng mga kababayan natin ay isauli. That’s my own opinion, Mr. President, we have to return it. Kusa po, kung gusto po, kung sinsero sila maging state witness, kung gusto nila mapasok sa Department of Justice, then siguro po, in good faith, isauli nila ang mga nakuha nila,” he declared.
But Sen. Robin Padilla cautioned that Tulfo’s framing risked setting a dangerous precedent by sidelining due process.
“Nais ko lamang magpahayag ng aking saloobin hinggil po sa ilang mga pahayag sa pagdinig po ng Blue Ribbon Committee kaninang umaga na lubhang nakakabahala na tila nagpaparating na maari nating isantabi ang umiiral na batas upang magbigay daan sa ikasisiya ng taumbayan,” Padilla said.
He stressed that bending laws to satisfy public clamor could destabilize communities, particularly in conflict-prone Mindanao.
“Isipin natin ang maaring maging epekto nito sa ating mga komunidad, lalo na po sa mga lugar na matagal nang pinagsisikapan itaguyod ang kapayapaan at kaayusan. Halimbawa na lang po sa Mindanao,” he said.
“Patuloy po tayong nagpapaalala sa ating mga kababayan duon na sumunod sa batas, na ang batas ay para sa lahat. Ang batas ay hindi hadlang sa kalayaan. Ito ay saligan ng isang sibilisado at maayos na lipunan… Bilang mga mambabatas, tayo po dapat ang unang tagapagtanggol ng batas,” Padilla added.
He further warned that following “the voice of the people” without legal guardrails could spiral into absurdity.
“Kailangan po dumaan tayo sa proseso. Ang ating Saligang Batas ay malinaw na nagsasabi na may due process. Kung ang argumento natin ay makikinig tayo sa sinasabing ‘ngayon na, ngayon na,’ ay teka muna po, ay marami pong maliligaw,” he said.
“Katulad ng mga kasama nating artista, halimbawa, sinasabi nila kung ganyan ay ‘huwag na tayo magbayad ng tax’. Eh paano po ang gagawin natin? Papayagan ba natin ang mga artista na huwag magbayad ng tax dahil ayon ang boses nila? Ayun ang voice of God, ayun ang voice of the people?” he added./PN
