The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been informed of a complaint against senators and an official who are accused of helping Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa—who is wanted by the international tribunal—evade arrest last month.
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NBI CHIEF: DEFENSOR ALLEGEDLY PAID ₱5M EACH TO 18 EX-MARINES
JUST IN: Former Representative Mike Defensor allegedly paid 18 ex-Marines ₱5 million each to testify and appear at press conferences regarding the flood control scandal, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag revealed in a press conference on Thursday, June 4.
Matibag stated that the agency secured testimony from an individual with close ties to the 18 former Marines who exposed Defensor���s alleged involvement.
The NBI chief added that subpoenas have already been issued to investigate both the former lawmaker and the ex-Marines.
‘SI SECRETARY JONVIC REMULLA, HINAHARANG AKO’
Senator Pia Cayetano said that Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla prevented her from entering the Senate on Thursday.
“Nagulat na lang ako nakita ko dun si Secretary Jonvic Remulla, hinaharang ako. I never thought the day would come that someone would prevent me from entering the Senate, this is my office,” she said.
LIVESTREAM: https://t.co/eEqFABe0AF
Solar project bust: Gov’t takes Leandro Leviste to court, seeks asset freeze
The Department of Energy (DOE) has sued lawmaker Leandro Leviste and his renewable energy firm over the alleged non-delivery of a 120-megawatt solar project.
READ: https://t.co/dmdROckuUH
We remain hopeful that there are Senators who will place country above politics and uphold their constitutional duty with integrity and courage.
We remain vigilant because institutions are only as strong as the people who choose to defend them.
@tr1pnaut1k Loren has got to be the biggest loser in all these. Lost promised senate presidency. Lost pa-consuelo pro tem post. Lost support and respect from civil society including own school.
Wonder if she thinks it’s still worth it.
It is not the first time a Philippine senator has been arrested. Or is wanted by authorities, for that matter.
But it is the first time the Senate - and the Filipino people - have been held hostage.
Ever since Duterte allies, led by Alan Peter Cayetano, took over Senate leadership, there has nothing but drama:
From fugitive Senator Ronald dela Rosa running away from arresting officers and admitting he appeared to cast the crucial 13th vote to form the new majority for VP Sara Duterte...
To the Senate security shooting at NBI agents and the eventual escape of Dela Rosa...
The insistence on amending Senate rules to allow remote participation and voting, which would benefit allies who are running away from the law or in detention....
Crying over an ally's arrest and now 2 days of absence from sessions that were supposed to tackle important bills.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano in a Facebook live said: They can try to remove me, they can kill me. But they will not kill the idea of a democratic Philippines led not by men but by law, led by the Filipino Constitution.
This came after the Senate declared quorum on Wednesday, June 3.
WATCH: https://t.co/F5yUcTML50
Visit https://t.co/KqDTBMbTQD for more updates.
The 1949 case of Avelino v Cuenco gives the new 12-member Senate majority legal basis for their actions today.
If Cayetano's group disagrees, they can bring the matter before the SC.
It will be interesting to see if the SC considers it as a political question or not.
BREAKING: The House of Representatives approved House Bill 8389 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act on third and final reading.
271 members of the House voted in the affirmative, 16 in the negative, with 7 abstentions during the plenary session. | via @agathamgregorio
Not accurate. Sen Cayetano is no longer SP. With 12 senators present, a quorum was declared out of the base number of 22 since Sens de la Rosa and Estrada are outside the “coercive power” of the Senate (Avelino v Cuenco. GR No 2821).
Hence, we voted to declare all positions vacant, although we could not yet elect a new SP because we lacked the 13 votes required under the Constitution.
The senate “majority” Duterte bloc has been POWER-TRIPPING.
Have they not learned anything? The biggest power-tripper in recent PHL history is now in The Hague.