Panel: Ethics complaint vs Trillanes sufficient in form, substance

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Monday found the ethics complaint filed by Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon against Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV sufficient in form and substance.

However, the committee said Gordon’s fifth ground in his ethics complaint, which cites two coup d’etat  attempts that Trillanes participated in, should be removed.

Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon called for its removal as the first happened in 2003 before Trillanes became a senator while the second coup was in 2007. Both are covered by Proclamation 50, which granted Trillanes and other members of the Magdalo amnesty "in order to promote an atmosphere conducive to the attainment of a just, comprehensive and enduring peace and in line with the government’s peace and reconciliation initiatives." 

Congress concurred with the grant of amnesty.

Sen. Sotto: Sen. Antonio Trillanes to be given 10 days to reply to ethics complaint filed against him by Sen. Gordon @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/qjlQfiV3w4

— Paolo S. Romero (@PaoloSRomero) September 11, 2017

Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, committee chairman, gave Trillanes ten days to file his counter-affidavit and answer Gordon’s complaint.

Gordon filed the 23-page ethics complaint against Trillanes last week for the latter’s allegedly “unparliamentary acts, language, and conduct.” He said Trillanes’ behavior is causing damage to the Senate and the people, making it a “primordial concern.”

READ: Gordon files ethics complaint vs Trillanes

The complainant said he wanted to uphold the dignity of the Senate, saying all senators “owe a public institution that, among others, deserves their respect.”

Prior to the complaint being filed, Gordon, who chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee chair argued with Trillanes over a comment that the members of the panel seemed to be protecting some members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s family allegedly involved in the smuggling of P6.4 billion shabu from China.

Trillanes wanted to invite the president’s son and son-in-law, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Manases “Mans Carpio, who were both accused of being members of the Davao Group that facilitated the anomalous shipment at the Bureau of Customs.The two have since appeared before the committee.

In January, the ethics committee also found a complaint against Sen. Leila De Lima, detained in Camp Crame on drug-related charges that she said are politically-motivated, sufficient in form and substance.

The Senate has rarely held hearings on ethics complaints against their colleagues. In 2008, an ethics complaint was filed against Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. over alleged anomalies in the C-5 road project. Although the Senate held televised hearings on the issue, the committee report on the complaint was later shelved. — Rosette Adel with reports from Paolo Romero