The Senate remains undecided on the suspension order issued by the Sandiganbayan against Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.
The antigraft court, in a resolution released on Aug. 23, ordered Ejercito’s suspension for 90 days in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of high-powered firearms when he was still mayor in San Juan City in 2008 using the city’s calamity fund.
But Senate President Aqulino “Koko” Pimentel III said the power to suspend a member of the chamber was not “squarely covered” by its own rules.
“The letter of the Sandiganbayan instructs the Senate President to implement the suspension order. If you look at the rules of the Senate, in the enumeration of the powers of the Senate President, it is not there to suspend a member of the Senate,” he said.
“Wala po doon ‘yun, so I am letting the committee on rules interpret the rules, find out where the power belongs, or if the exercise of the power can be justified.”
Pimentel said the committee on rules chaired by Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III had yet to study the rules before it makes a recommendation.
In the meantime, he said, his office would write a letter to inform the Sandiganbayan that its suspension order had been referred to Sotto’s committee.
Asked how Ejercito’s case was different from that of the three former senators who were also suspended by the chamber during the time of then Senate President Franklin Drilon, Pimentel pointed out that he is now the new Senate leader.
“The three former senators before o kahit may 100 senators man noon, bago na po ang Senate President ngayon. I mean, that’s how I read the rules, iba po ang aking interpretation. That is why in my opinion it is better passed to the committee on rules so that they can study in depth the situation,” he said.
Pimentel was referring to former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who were also ordered suspended by Sandiganbayan before they were detained over the alleged “pork barrel” scam.
Estrada and Revilla remained in detention while Enrile had been allowed to post bail.