ShareThisPASAY CITY (PinoyNews) – A clamor for the expulsion of Sen. Panfilo Lacson from the Senate and Rep. Ronald Singson of Ilocos Sur from the House of Representatives has snowballed.
The ouster of Lacson is sought by groups for his failure to discharge his duties as senator having been in hiding for a year now after he was charged for the murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, despite his insistence he had no hand in the killings.
Singson, son of Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, on the other hand, is being expelled for his announcement that he planned to admit that he owned the cocaine which was seized from him by the Hong Kong airport authorities, resulting to his incarceration in the autonomous city-state of China.
The elder Singson immediately fumed when Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello initiated the expulsion of his son, stressing that they should oust Senator Lacson first because the charge against him was double murder, while his son has never been convicted of any crime.
Allies of Senator Lacson led by Sen. Vicente Sotto, however, defended him, saying he was merely charged in court and has not been arraigned, adding that he is contesting the testimony of his former police aides who are linking him to the double murder without any solid evidence.
House leaders, responding to the Akbayan and other groups’ clamor, said they will have to wait for the decision of the Hong Kong court on the case of Singson. “Any suspension or expulsion at this stage is premature,” said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr. and Reps. Elpidio Barzaga (Dasmarinas City) and Miro Quimbo (Marikina City).
The young Singson was arrested at the Chek Lap Kok International Airport in July last year for alleged possession of cocaine and Valium. He is expected to plead guilty on January 26, although it is not clear if it will be for drug trafficking or drug possession.
Singson was allowed bail amounting to HK$2 million (P11.54 million) as police reports showed he was only carrying 6.7 grams of cocaine and not 26.1 grams.
Singson was not allowed to leave the former British colony as he has to report to the police for at least two hours each day pending his arraignment.
Before a House member could be expelled or meted with any disciplinary action, a complaint should be filed against him or her before the ethics committee. The committee members will discuss the complaint and their decision will be presented to the plenary for the consideration of the entire chamber, which can either adopt or reject the committee’s decision.
Gonzales said the is to await the decision of the Hong Kong court. “Until such a time that he (Singson) is proven guilty, he still enjoys the presumption of innocent,” he said.
“We will be waiting for the result before we take any formal action because he can still choose to plead not guilty and fight the case against him. There is still no reason for us to expel him,” he added.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, a lawyer-accountant, said he believes it is still “premature” to discuss any disciplinary action against Singson as the case is still pending in court.