UPDATED -- Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law lawyer Manases Carpio confirmed on Monday, September 4, that they will attend the Senate hearing on corruption at the Bureau of Customs on September 7.
In a joint statement Monday, September 4, both confirmed the invitation from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and they "commit to respect" it and attend the hearing.
"We duly recognize the coercive powers of the Senate of the Philippines as part of the legislative branch of government and their authority to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation," the statement read.
It can be recalled that last August 31, Senators Richard Gordon and Antonio Trillanes IV initially clashed during the probe on shabu shipment after Gordon and Sotto expressed objection on the invitation of the both.
Gordon and Sotto said that Duterte and Carpio's role in Davao Group must first be established.
This made Trillanes tag the committee as "comite de abswelto" and chided Gordon and Sotto for lawyering for Duterte and Carpio.
On Monday, Gordon said that both will be invited to attend the hearing, a move which Trillanes described as a form of adhering to "public pressure."
The two were not the first from Davao City who were summoned by the Senate in connection with the Davao Group, Davao City Councilor Nilo Abellera had initially faced the committee members after he was named by customs fixer Mark Taguba among those behind the group. (With VoxPop Philippines)