(From left) Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.: Possible suspension. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman has referred the administrative charges of serious dishonesty and grave misconduct against three senators charged with plunder by the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to the Senate ethics committee, said Levito Baligod, the lawyer of the pork barrel scam whistle-blowers.
“We have received information that administrative charges had been referred to the Senate ethics committee and the filing is a welcome development because as elective officials it is hoped that the Senate Ethics Committee’s action on the matter will lead toward restoration of public trust,” Baligod told the Inquirer.
The senators facing administrative charges for the alleged misuse of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) are Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.
Preventive suspension
Stephen Cascollan, another lawyer of the whistle-blowers, said he hoped the new development would lead to the issuance of preventive suspension orders against those involved in the pork barrel scam.
“Preventively suspending all involved appointive officials and employees be immediately issued so that evidence in their custody or under their control can be secured” the lawyers said.
The lawyers for the whistle-blowers also said there are legal bases for the preventive suspension since the administrative offenses are grave in nature and an objective investigation of the charges can only be made if the integrity of the evidence is preserved.
Told about the new development, Enrile said he was ready to face the charges.
Enrile ready
“According to my lawyer, they just put a docket on the old charge. I do not know. As far as I’m concerned, I’m ready to face the case,” Enrile told reporters.
Lawyer Joel Bodegon, counsel for Revilla, said he had yet to get a copy of the referral and the Ombudsman’s reason.
“I am unaware of any precedent that the Office of the Ombudsman made such a referral before when the target respondent of its investigation is a member of Congress,” Bodegon said in a text message.
“I can only speculate that perhaps the referral is an expression of due deference by the Ombudsman to the Senate’s primary jurisdiction over ethical issues involving its members,” he said.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said it was the Senate’s duty to tackle the administrative complaints but doubted that they would be taken up this year.
Debating budget
“We will await the referral and once we have it we will organize the ethics committee. It’s our duty to constitute that. I doubt that we could have it this year,” Drilon said.
But he said the Senate might not have the time to tackle the referral within the year. “We will be debating the budget, and the interpellations will terminate on Nov. 28, the approval of the third reading for it would be on the first week of December. We may not have the time. Also, the freedom of information (FOI) bill is on the floor.”—With a report from Norman Bordadora
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