Drilon defends threat to expel senators joining House con-ass

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday rebuffed the claim of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that the Senate cannot discipline its member who will choose to attend the lower House’s constituent assembly (con-ass).

“The last time I read the Constitution, each house of Congress has the exclusive right to discipline its members, which cannot be questioned by anyone, not even the Supreme Court,” Drilon said in a text message.

In a radio interview Wednesday, Alvarez said there was no basis for the Senate to expel a member if he or she chooses to attend the con-ass to be constituted by the House of Representatives for the purpose of amending the 1987 Constitution.

“Hindi ko alam kung magagawa talaga ‘yun. Dahil paano ko ie-expel yan? Halal ng bayan yan at hindi naman ground for expulsion yan,” Alvarez said, as he insisted that Charter change (Cha-cha) should be done via joint voting of Congress.

It was Senator Panfilo Lacson who proposed during an informal caucus earlier this week that any senator who attends the House con-ass should be expelled. This, after senators agreed that they will only pursue Cha-cha through separate voting.

Lacson said that if this happens, the concerned senator will be expelled even before he or she sets foot at the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

“Kung may babaligtad, bahala siya sa buhay niya,” Lacson said in an interview.

“I even computed based on Waze ang travel time between the Senate and the House. Even before he steps into Batasan soil, expelled na siya. He’s no longer a Senate member.”

“Kasi mga 1.5 to two hours 'yan. So mapadali namin ang summary hearing or trial and we’ll time it na before he even sets foot on the grounds of Batasang Pambansa, expelled na siya, so he’s no longer a valid member of the Senate,” Lacson said.

Lacson however is confident that all senators will remain true to their position that any amendment to the Constitution must be done through separate voting. — MDM, GMA News