Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia rejected a PN motion to urgently start a discussion on the matter surrounding a 200kg drug theft stolen from Armed Forces of Malta grounds on Monday.

Farrugia gave a ruling in Parliament following Opposition Leader Bernard Grech’s request to urgently start a parliamentary debate on the matter.

In his ruling, the Speaker said that while the matter does bring about concern, the House is obliged, as per legal advice, to refuse such a parliamentary debate, as it could prejudice the judiciary process.

Farrugia said that the investigations on the case are currently at a critical stage, and if a debate were to happen, it would easily cause prejudice on the case, both at present and in the future.

He said the Speaker made the same ruling when it came to an urgent debate after the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as well as for the Vitals case.

Farrugia said that there is no guarantee that the conversation can be controlled in a way that would not impose prejudices to the judiciary process.

He also cautioned Prime Minister Robert Abela, as well as other MPs in their replies to Abela’s ministerial statement on the case, to be consider their words carefully so as not to prejudice the process for current or future suspects.

Farrugia said he could not upheld the PN’s request for a debate.

In reply, Grech questioned whether the Speaker can truly guarantee that the Prime Minister’s words will not, in any way, prejudice the judiciary process, and asked who will be the one to safeguard the publics’ rights.

“This side of the House cannot bow down to this breach of the Maltese publics’ rights. Both sides of the House should be given the opportunity to speak, but the Speaker and government want to shut the Opposition’s mouth,” Grech said.

Abela is yet to make a ministerial statement on the case, as Parliament was once again suspended after chaos ensued in the chambers.

Earlier in the sitting, PN MPs waved posters in Parliament saying “feigned resignation,” and “14 died in prison” with Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri’s face on them as Grech tabled his motion.

Grech said that yesterday, the country woke up “shocked” to find out that 200kg of drugs which were under AFM custody are back on the street, drugs which cause so much damage to victims and families.

He said that Minister Camilleri did not even show up at the parliamentary sitting to answer questions.

“I am making a request, which must be considered at the first available opportunity from this side of the House, before the Prime Minister’s ministerial statement, to discuss something of importance, of public urgency, the 200kg drug theft,” Grech said.

He continued that Camilleri admitted publicly that he was politically responsible for this, acknowledging its gravity and offered his resignation.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister refused, Grech said, and so nobody has shouldered political responsibility for the theft.

“Today, there are 200kg of drugs in the country’s market, ready to be trafficked, and worsen the drug plague, and break victims and their families,” Grech said.

PL Whip Naomi Cachia said that while she understood the urgency and concern around the case, MPs have duties which go beyond this.

Cachia said that since an administrative and magisterial inquiry has been appointed, and investigations are still pending, she did not feel this need for an urgent parliamentary debate.

In a statement, the Labour Party said that the Prime Minister had gone to Parliament to make a Ministerial Statement “on the facts, so far known” on Sunday’s case.

“However, the Opposition couldn’t care less. It is only interested in politically partisan games even on such a serious and sensitive case on which there should be broad consensus on the importance, that all those involved, face justice,” the PL said.

The PN meanwhile issued a statement echoing what the party’s leader said in Parliament.

On Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri announced to Facebook that around 200kg of cannabis resin were stolen from a confiscated shipping container which was being stored on AFM premises.

Camilleri offered his resignation; however, Prime Minister Robert Abela refused it and appointed an administrative inquiry to investigate the case. AFM Brigadier Clinton J O’Neill was suspended pending investigations into the case.

Grech had demanded that Camilleri resigns, and if he does not, that he be removed by the Prime Minister, just as the Permanent Secretary in the Home Affairs Ministry, under whose watch these scandals happened, should also be dismissed.

The PN had reiterated Grech’s call for Abela to accept Camilleri’s resignation immediately.