MANILA, Philippines — The Senate held in abeyance on Monday the contempt citation and detention order issued against Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five other resource persons pending questions raised by some senators.
Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the committee on rules, which he chairs, will have to meet first on Tuesday to address the questions raised on the floor by acting Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
“At the very least, makakatulog nang mahimbing yung mga pinaaresto tonight and as long as hindi sila magtatag, walang problem,” Cayetano told reporters.
But he said the Senate sergeant-at-arms had been advised to make sure that the persons ordered arrested and detained by the Senate blue ribbon committee would not hide or disappear.
“They will not execute, ibig sabihin andyan pa rin yung order, babantayan pa rin nila pero hindi nila aarestuhin at dadalhin dito. Just because it’s the more prudent thing to do,” Cayetano said.
“The decision could have been different if we’re talking about people na nagtatago na, or alam natin kung nasaan at kailangan agad hulihin but in this case, to be fair kay Mayor Junjun, he has a legal challenge sa pag-appear dito pero hindi naman sya nag tatago,” he pointed out.
It was Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the blue ribbon committee who moved to cite Binay and the five other persons in contempt upon recommendation of Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, chairman of the bus ribbon subcommittee. Guingona’s motion was seconded by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
But Sotto took the floor and questioned the decision of Guingona’s committee, particularly the absence of majority members when it decided on the issue. This prompted Senate President Franklin Drilon to refer the matter to the committee on rules.
Another opposition member, Senator Nancy Binay, also questioned, in an interview with reporters, the action of the committee against her brother, saying it was not the decision of the entire chamber but of only two senators, apparently referring to Guingona and Trillanes.
Mayor Binay appeared once in the hearing of the subcommittee on the Makati City 2 carpark building but not after he questioned the authority of the body over the subject matter.