Gemma Castillo declared ‘out of order’ at Senate hearing on shabu shipment

An alleged former collector of the Bureau of Customs' defunct Command Center on Monday was declared out of order for questioning the quorum in the Senate blue ribbon committee's hearing on the P6.4-billion drug shipment from China.

“Your honor and the chairman of this honorable blue ribbon committee, I hope you won’t take it against me but as per advice of my lawyer, may we know if there’s an existence of the quorum in accordance with your rules,” Gemma Castillo said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson answered, "Kami lang pwede mag-question n'on, Gemma. Di ka kasali rito, saka ito suspended lang last time."

"You are out of order, you are courting contempt. Tell your lawyer to study his law," Senator Richard Gordon, the chairman of the committee, added.

However, Castillo continued and pointed out that the rights of a person appearing in any hearings should be respected.

"In accordance with Article 4 of Section 21 po of the Constitution, as per my lawyer's advice, the Senate or the House of Representative or any of its respective committees may conduct po inquiries in aid of legislation in accordance po with his duly public rules of procedure and the rights of a person appearing in or affected po by such inquiries must be respected," Castillo said.

Gordon replied, "What is your point? We're not respecting your rights?"

Castillo insisted that there was no quorum in the blue ribbon committee's investigation.

Lacson then asked her, "So you're questioning the quorum so di kami pwedeng mag-conduct ng business today that's what you're saying? So lahat ng sinabi ni Mark, pati 'yung sinabi ko lahat ng sinabi ng attorney, nila Commissioner... bale wala lahat?"

"No po, your Honor...  only now po kasi it is the first time po that I raised a question po of quorum," Castillo said.

Gordon then reiterated that the quorum can only be questioned by a member of the Senate.

"In the first place the rules provide that any committee can conduct its business so long as there is one person in the committee that is available... one or two persons. The quorum can only be questioned by a member of the Senate so what is your problem now?" Gordon said.

"The Chair has already ruled, you are out of order," Gordon added.

Castillo said they would still register their continuing objection as per her lawyer's advice.

Gordon answered, "You may register until Kingdom come."

Customs fixer Mark Taguba earlier said the alert order on his shipments was lifted after he paid Castillo, who was supposedly representing the Comcen.

Resigned Customs Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala already denied that there was a certain Gemma Castillo in the department. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News