Tinio may face raps for recording executive session

ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio. PHOTO from congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines – ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio may be held liable for recording an executive session as part of his evidence in his impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III over his alleged “hidden” pork barrel, a lawmaker said on Monday.

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe said an executive session by its nature should not be recorded.

Tinio had said Aquino should be impeached for allowing hidden “pork barrel” funds in the 2014 budget, citing recordings of an executive session with Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) chair Patricia Licuanan with lawmakers about its scholarship program.

Tinio alleged that Licuanan told lawmakers they may recommend scholarship programs using the budget allotted to the agency.

Tinio viewed this as a new form of hidden pork funds. He included a CD recording of the executive meeting in his pieces of evidence.

But Batocabe said Tinio may be criminally liable for recording an executive session under the Anti-wiretapping law and administratively liable before the House ethics committee.

He said he would consult with the partylist coalition if they should file an ethics complaint.

“They can be liable. It’s an executive session. It’s confidential and they’re using it without the consent of those present,” Batocabe said.

“I will consult with members of the partylist coalition with respect to the filing of an appropriate complaint,” he added.

Batocabe said Licuanan in the executive session did not allow post-identification in the budget, which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The CHEd only allowed lawmakers to discuss the status of their displaced scholars after the high court scrapped their congressional pork the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), Batocabe said.

Aquino is facing a fourth impeachment complaint for allegedly sustaining the outlawed pork barrel system in the 2014 budget. The SC declared as unconstitutional the congressional pork at the height of a corruption scandal under the alleged scheme of Janet Lim-Napoles.

The first two complaints were about Aquino’s outlawed Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of the stimulus program declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The third is over the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which seeks a greater US military presence in the country despite a constitutional ban on foreign bases.

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