Drilon accuser a ‘big dud,’ should be cited for contempt –Miriam

The accuser of Senate President Franklin Drilon should be cited for contempt for allegedly wasting the time of the Senate by making accusations that he can't prove, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said Friday.

“That is such a big dud. That person should be held in contempt,” Santiago said, referring to former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada, who filed a plunder complaint against Drilon and several other government officials in connection with the alleged overpricing in the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) project.

“This is the accuser who said that there was overpricing in the ICC and yet when he was given the opportunity to speak at the committee hearing, he said he did not bring any evidence,” Santiago said in a press conference before the students of Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

Santiago chided Mejorada for allegedly using unverified sources such as Wikipedia and “whispers of architects” in Iloilo for making the allegation.

“He just trusted Twitter, Facebook, or that he listened to the gossips in Iloilo City. This is not arithmetic where  two and two will make four. This is politics, where you have to apply the rule of law,” she said.

In his testimony before the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, Mejorada admitted that he has no evidence to prove his allegation although he said there was paper trail.

“So that person should either be held in contempt or should be warned that if he repeats this kind of behavior, he should be held in contempt for wasting the time of the Senate,” said Santiago.

Asked if the committee should still continue with its investigation, the senator said another witness —former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco, another Drilon critic—was invited to the hearing.

“So it will go on,” said Santiago, who filed the bill seeking the Senate investigation on the alleged overpricing on the ICC construction. —KBK, GMA News