Senator Manny Pacquiao moved to cite Ronnie Dayan in contempt for his “lies” and supposed contradictory statements before the Senate inquiry looking into the death of Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
“Maraming kasinungalingan,” (There are many lies) Pacquiao told the committee.
The senator questioned Dayan’s conflicting answers to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Earlier in the hearing on Monday, Senator Panfilo Lacson chided Dayan for his “selective memory” and being evasive with his answers.
As per Senate rules, a vote of a majority of all the members of a committee may punish for contempt any witness any order of the committee or refuses to answer a proper question by the committee or its members, by answering falsely or evasively.
“Such witness may be ordered by the Committee to be detained in such place as it may designate under the custody of the Sergeant-at Arms until he agrees to produce the required documents, or to be sworn or to testify, or otherwise purge himself of that contempt,” it said.
Senator Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, suggested that Dayan be brought to the New Bilibid Prisons.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, on the other hand, said that if the senators believed that Dayan was lying, then there was presumption that Kerwin Espinosa was telling the truth.
Both witnesses gave conflicting statements during the hearing.
“Sinasabing nagsisinungaling si Dayan dahil ina-assume na nagsasabi ng totoo si Kerwin,” he added. CBB