Pimentel unfazed by disqualification case

Despite the disqualification case filed against him by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said his camp remains unfazed by the controversy.

Pimentel on Tuesday said Topacio did not look at Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution in its entirety.

“Some people just refused to understand what is clearly written in the Constitution,” he said in an interview with ABS CBN News Channel.

According to Pimentel, there are two paragraphs in Section 4, but Topacio only focused on the second paragraph that states: “no Senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.”

Pimentel said Topacio disregarded the first part of Section 4 that states : “The term of office of the Senators shall be six years and shall commence, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election.”

According to Pimentel, he only became senator in August 2011 when the election happened in 2007.

“I became senator August 2011. So is that the June 30 after the election of 2007? Ang election pa ay 2007 eh. so imagine that’s august 2011. Ao that’s not the term,” he said.

He then noted that there were similar cases in the local level that could be applied to his case.

“We have cases decided all the way to the Supreme Court but applied at the local level,” he said.

By analogy, the principle can be used. So we’re not worried about this case,” Pimentel added.  /muf