Zubiri to Trillanes: Explain ‘shaming’ charge or face ethics body

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV should explain and apologize or face an ethics complaint for accusing the Senate committee on justice and human rights of allegedly orchestrating the hearing last Monday supposedly “to shame” some of its members, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Wednesday.

Zubiri said Trillanes’ accusation made during a radio interview Tuesday was unfair, saying it was not true that the committee had planned to gang up on him and Senator Leila de Lima, who have been vocal against President Rodrigo Duterte.

In fact, he said, he was a member of the justice committee but was never told about any plan of action to either terminate the ongoing hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country or to gang up on Trillanes and De Lima.

“What Senator Trillanes had said over the radio that members of the committee had planned this beforehand to gang up on them is an unfair statement. As far as I’m concerned, I was never called upon by anybody to come up with a plan of action to terminate the hearing or gang up on them,” Zubiri said.

“I think Senator Trillanes should explain why he said that on radio…At the very least they should explain to us before we act on the matter on why they should not be reprimanded for coming out with these accusations na hindi naman totoo (which are untrue),” he said.

Zubiri said Trillanes should also apologize for what he said against the committee.

But if there is still a need for the Senate ethics committee to look into the issue, then Zubiri said: “So be it.”

Asked if he would support the filing of an ethics complaint against Trillanes if he is not satisfied by the latter’s explanation, he said: “Yeah, because nilalaglag nya lahat ng members ng committee na wala naman syang pruweba o katotohananan (he threw all the members under the bus without presenting proof).”

Zubiri, on the other hand, saw no reason for the filing of an ethics complaint against De Lima, who walked out of the hearing room in the middle of a heated debate with justice committee chair, Senator Richard Gordon and some of the committee members.

“In fairness sa kanya (De Lima), wala naman akong narinig sa kanya (In fairness to De Lima, I haven’t heard anything from her),” he said, adding that  the lady senator had already apologized for walking out of the hearing.

READ: Gordon mulls filing ethics complaint vs De Lima for ‘unparliamentary’ remaks, conduct

Despite the heated exchange and De Lima’s walk out, Gordon’s committee has decided to continue with the hearings on the killings.

“As far as I’m concerned, I want it terminated na because it’s putting deep divisions in the friendship of members of the Senate,” Zubiri said.

“Let’s put closure on that already and move on. Pag may galit pa yung ating mga kasamahan dito sa situation kay (If some of our colleagues here are still dissatisfied with the situation regarding) Duterte, why don’t you just get all the evidences, go to the House of Representatives, file ng (an) impeachment case, file whatever case that they want at the proper agencies instead of making a circus or a spectacle of the Senate,” he added. CDG

READ: Gordon, De Lima feud over Matobato kidnap case; drug slay hearing stopped