Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Senate has the sole power to suspend or expel its members as provided for under the Constitution.
Recto raised this issue after the Office of the Ombudsman filed petitions before the Sandiganbayan seeking to suspend Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who are both charged with plunder and graft over the “pork barrel” scam.
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile had also been charged with plunder and graft but the anti-graft court has yet to issue an arrest warrant against him.
Recto said at first that it would be ministerial on the part of the Senate if the court would order the suspension of the three senators.
“Although it’s a ticklish issue, it’s for the lawyers to decide, because constitutionally, it’s only the Senate who can expel its members so I’m not sure,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
The senator then cited the case of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who has also been charged with plunder but continued to perform her work while in hospital detention.
It was only this Tuesday that the Sandiganbayan ordered Arroyo’s suspension for 90-days on the graft charges filed against her in connection with the anomalous NB-ZTE deal when she was still president.
“I’m not a lawyer but I know there’s a constitutional provision that we are the only one who can suspend a member through the ethics committee,” Recto said.
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