VACC to file ethics raps vs senators except Santiago over cash gifts

Anticrime crusader Dante Jimenez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — All senators except for Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago will be facing an ethics complaint that an anti-crime group is planning to file in the Senate in connection with the millions of pesos given to them last year.

“Finally, we have finished our complaint affidavit against Enrile et al. regarding cash gift to senators from savings of MOOE (maintenance and other operating expenses),” said Dante Jimenez, chairperson of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), in a text message on Thursday.

The complaint, Jimenez said, was in connection with the P1.6 million that Enrile gave to 18 senators as additional MOOE in December 2012 as well as the P250,000 “gift” each to 22 senators.

Enrile said the P1.6 million was sourced from the savings of the Senate while the P250, 000 gift came from the savings of his own office.

Only Santiago returned the P250,000 to Enrile.

This was the reason, Jimenez said, Santiago was not included in the complaint.

“Miriam returned the cash gift kasi,” said the VACC head.

Santiago along with Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Senators Pia Cayetano and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes did not get the P1.6 million MOOE, which was the balance of the total P2.2 million allotted for each senator.

Enrile though said the four got P600,000 each in November 2012, the first tranche of the fund.