VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte’s allies in the Senate may not be able to save her from being ousted when the impeachment trial finally starts rolling.
This comes as the Office of the Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered Senators Alan Cayetano and Robin Padilla to submit an answer to the obstruction of justice complaint against them in relation to the shooting incident at the Senate premises on May 13.
Meanwhile Senator Rodante Marcoleta is facing a cyberlibel complaint for the allegations made during a contentious June 4 hearing at the Senate where the 18 former soldiers accused former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV of receiving cash which was allegedly delivered to the investigators representing the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Dela Rosa Escape
Cayetano and Padilla are facing investigation over the shooting incident which was followed by the escape of Senator Ronald dela Rosa amid an ICC arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the drug war deaths during his term as Philippine National Police chief.
“Acting on the sworn complaint, the above-named respondents are hereby directed to submit their counter-affidavit/s and controverting evidence to the said complaint, copy of which is hereto attached, within a non-extendible period of 15 days from receipt hereof in three legible copies addressed to this Office,” reads part of Remulla’s order.
The complaint was filed by Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor, Francis Aquino Dee and allied groups, including Partido Manggagawa, Baigani Feminist Collective, Magdalo Party, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, Youth Resist, among others.
“Respondents are likewise required to submit proof of service of their counter-affidavit and controverting evidence to the complainants, who may file a reply-affidavit within a non-extendible period of five days from receipt of the same, with proof of service to the respondents,” it added.
Rogue Blue Ribbon
During the filing of the cyberlibel complaint at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Trillanes categorically denied allegations hurled against him during a senate hearing which he aptly referred to as “a platform for defamatory claims masquerading as a Senate inquiry.”
“Today, I filed another cyberlibel case against the 18 ‘ex-bodyguards,’ including Cayetano and Marcoleta. This is about their rogue Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that they did and because of that, they do not have parliamentary immunity,” Trillanes said.
Also included in the complaint are the 18 former members of the Philippine Marine Corps who claimed to have worked for former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co as security personnel.
During the ‘hearings,’ the former Marines dragged more government officials into accepting the so-called “maleta” filled with alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.
“I will continue to file cases against them as long as they continue to lie. The nature of cyberlibel is that every time you repeat that falsehood, it constitutes one count,” Trillanes said.
Diminishing Number
Two senators have either been rendered “useless” to VP Sara’s cause. They are Dela Rosa who has since gone into hiding since evading arrest on May 13, and Senator Jinggoy Estrada who is currently in jail for plunder charges over the so-called flood control scandal.
Following the senate standoff last month, Sara again lost two more allies — Senators Francis Escudero and Joel Villanueva who like Estrada are being accused of squandering public funds. Both crossed the “enemy line,” in what many believed as a political survival. To some, it’s meant to get themselves off the hook.
Escudero was earlier tagged as the principal perpetrator behind the budget insertions, while Villanueva has been accused by no less than former DPWH officials of amassing a fortune from the alleged ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.
Three other senators are reportedly being wooed to abandon the minority. They are Senators Loren Legarda and siblings Mark and Camille Villar.
In the event that charges against Cayetano, Padilla and Marcoleta are elevated to the Sandiganbayan, VP Sara’s allies in the Senate would be down to just three — Bong Go, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano
