Sen. Teofisto Guingona III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Fourteen resource persons, including Vice President Jejomar Binay’s alleged bagman, are now facing arrest by the Senate after a panel cited them in contempt on Monday.
With only two senators present , the Senate blue ribbon committee upheld its subcommittee’s recommendation to cite the 14 resource persons in contempt for its continued refusal to attend the latter’s investigation on corruption allegations against the Vice President.
The two senators present were committee chairman Senator Teofisto Guingona III and subcommittee chair Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who recommended the contempt citation of the said resource persons.
“By virtue of the Section 18 of the rules of the Senate governing investigations in aid of legislation, I hereby find the following in contempt of the Senate,” Guingona said.
Among those cited in contempt was Binay’s alleged bagman and dummy, Gerry Limlingan.
The 13 others were:
Vissia Marie Aldon
Danilo Villas
Aida Alcantara
Hirene Lopez
Irene S. Chong
Imee S. Chong
Kim Tun S. Chong
Irish S. Chong
Erlinda S. Chong
Kimster S. Chong
Anne Lorraine Buencamino-Tiu
James L. Tiu
Antonio L. Tiu
Pimentel originally recommended to cite 19 resource persons in contempt but when the committee started its hearing, Guingona only read 16 names.
The three who were on the original list —Eduviges “Ebeng” Baloloy, Engineer Line Dela Pena and Bernadette Portallano— were earlier cited in contempt by Guingona’s committee.
Also during the hearing, Pimentel moved to withdraw the names of Tomas Lopez and Engineer Mario Badillo from the list.
He said Lopez already appeared in the hearing of the subcommittee on May 11 this year while Badillio wrote the body and promised to comply with its directives.
Guingona granted Pimentel’s motion and directed both Lopez and Badillio to appear before his committee on or before Thursday this week to sign a pledge that they will attend in the May 28 hearing of the subcommittee. TVJ
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