Senate ethics committee clears Lacson, Trillanes, De Lima
THE SENATE committee on ethics yesterday dismissed complaints filed against Senators Panfilo M. Lacson and Antonio F. Trilanes IV, and “dismissed without prejudice to refiling” the complaint against Senator Leila M. De Lima. Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III, committee chair, said the cases were junked due to lack of jurisdiction. As for Ms. De Lima, he said the ethics complaint against her may be revived if the courts would uphold that she has violated disobedience to summons under the Revised Penal Code. Former Customs commissioner Nicanor E. Faeldon filed the complaint against Messrs. Lacson and Trillanes in September last year in connection with the Senate investigation on the illegal drug shipment at the Bureau of Customs. Meanwhile, three ethics complaints were filed against Ms. De Lima by House leaders for allegedly preventing a former aide to attend a congressional investigation. Four cases against Senators Trillanes, Richard J. Gordon and Ana-Theresia Baraquel-Hontiveros remain pending at the committee. — Camille A. Aguinaldo