No rush in forming ethics body, says Drilon

MANILA, Philippines–The Senate leadership still sees no urgency in constituting an ethics committee that would handle matters relating to the conduct, dignity, integrity and reputation of its members.

Whatever the ethics committee is supposed to do is already being done in the courts, referring to the plunder trial in the Sandiganbayan of three senators in connections with the alleged theft of their pork barrel allocation, said Senate President Franklin Drilon.

For instance, on the issue of meting out a suspension order on a senator, Drilon said the suspension imposed by the antigraft court was even longer than what the Senate itself can impose.

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla because of the criminal cases they are facing.

The Senate has the power to suspend legislators for 60 days only.

Drilon also noted that the Senate, which with the House of Representatives opened the second regular congressional session two weeks ago, has a lot of other matters to tackle.

“All I’m saying is we do not find the urgency. We’d rather look at our legislative agenda,” he said.

Last December, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago wrote Drilon asking him to organize the ethics committee so it could take up her complaint against Enrile.

Acting Minority Leader Sen. Vicente Sotto III said he remained open to chairing the ethics committee.

And should complaints be brought against members of the minority, Sotto said he would also be willing to inhibit himself.

But if Drilon feels that there is no urgent need to organize the committee now, he was also okay with that, said Sotto.

But once a proper complaint is filed, an ethics committee should already be convened, he said.–Leila B. Salaverria