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Trillanes wants Koko Pimentel ousted if Gordon not sacked from blue ribbon panel


Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday said he would work for the ouster from the Senate helm of Senate President Aquilino "Koko"Pimentel III if Senator Richard Gordon would remain chairman of the blue ribbon committee.

"Sa akin, for as long as si Senator Gordon nandiya-diyan sa blue ribbon committee I will put the blame and responsibility kay Senator Koko Pimentel," Trillanes said during the Kapihan sa Senado.

"So 'pag ka hindi nila tinanggal 'yan, talagang I will work hard para matanggal din si Senator Koko Pimentel, para matanggal si Senator Gordon as blue ribbon committee chairman," he added.

Trillanes said Gordon's leadership had affected the independence of Senate.

"I am hoping na magbago ang Senate leadership, kasi ang Senate ngayon ay apektado yung independence and nagrereflect 'yan doon sa committee ni Senator Gordon," Trillanes said.

"In fact sinabi ko ito kay Senator Pimentel, ako mababaw ang kaligayahan ko. I'm not asking for committee chairmanship ang hinhingi ko lang is 'pag magiimbestiga ang Senado dapat hindi pinipigilan dapat talagang kinakalkal palalaim hanggang sa wala nang makita," he added.

"Hindi yung may inaabswelto na mga tao or mga pinuproteksyunan, hindi ganyan ang Senado na gusto natin," Trillanes said.

Trillanes earlier warned that he would file an ethics and plunder complaint against Gordon.

"Wala na bang mas magaling diyan? wala na abng mas maayos diyan? kasi blue ribbon committee, kailangan ito talagang objective siya, talagang wala siyang kinakatakutan, kailangan imbestigador yung mindset niya, hindi defense lawyer mindset," Trillanes said.

"Marami namang highly-qualified na senador, mga senior na pwedeng makakuha ng sentimiyento ng senado," he added.

The opposition senator also described Pimentel's leadership as being "passive."

"Sa akin nakita ko very passive siya, very passive ang leadership style niya. Sa 'kin dito marami siyang pwede dapat mga panghimasukan kaso hinahayaan niya eh.  Itong demeanor ni Senator Gordon as blue ribbon committee chairman ay talagang nagwawala na eh, nagwawala na to so akala niya may franchise ata ito parang isang, parang sa kanya na no may ownership hindi ganon, so yun yun," Trillanes said.

Sought for comment, Pimentel said, "He can go ahead with his plans. This is a free country."

Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said Pimentel would stay as the Senate President since the majority bloc was "solidly supporting his senate leadership."

Gordon said Pimentel was "doing a job" and was "trying to be fair to everybody."

"Kung totoo 'yan dapat wala ngang siga ang minority pero pinagbibigyan ang minority. What is he talking about, he even has a civil service commission, what is he talking about, why is he so unfair to his colleagues that if you go against him you're bad," Gordon said. —NB, GMA News

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