Amid Senate Session Inviting Ex-Marines, NBI Speaks on Chamber’s Resource Persons
NBI – National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag claimed that he received an information that the 18 ex-marines were allegedly paid.
Following the attendance of Senator Chiz Escudero to the Senate session yesterday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian was elected as the Senate President Pro Tempore. The election came after 12 senators voted to declare all the positions in the chamber vacant.
Former Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda claimed that the Senate takeover is allegedly unconstitutional. For the now-majority senators, a quorum of 12 is not a chartered matter.
Sen. Bam Aquino defended the “quorum of 12” citing a previous happening in the Senate and how the Supreme Court ruled. Some other majority senators stressed that the total number of functional senators now is 22 and not anymore 24.
The count of the majority senators excludes Sen. Bato dela Rosa who remains hiding from the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid a pending arrest warrant and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada who is now detained under the Philippine authorities. Estrada is faced with plunder and graft charges over supposed multi-million flood control corruption.
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, there was a supposedly systematic delivery of flood control kickback to Estrada amounting to not less than P573 million. The Sandiganbayan released an arrest warrant against the Senator.
Former Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano stressed that he allegedly remains the legal and moral Senate president of the Philippines. Amid the issue, he said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing will push through. They invited the 18 ex-marines who were able to enter the chamber’s premises today with the lead of senators Pia Cayetano and Robin Padilla.
Amid the ongoing session, NBI Director Melvin Matibag claimed that he received an information that the ex-marines were allegedly paid P5 million each to appear in the chamber. Based on News5, the former soldiers were supposedly paid to testify in the flood control scam.
The current session is taking place even after the quorum of 12 senators has decided that the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee is Sen. Erwin Tulfo. Based on a post, for the safety of the Senate personnel who reported to the chamber today, Senate Pres. Win Gatchalian shortened the work hours.
Amid the issue, Negros Occidental First District Representative Jules Ledesma said he will move for former Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano to be declared as persona non grata in the province. He stressed that the happenings now have transpired twice with Cayetano leading it.