Santiago: Villar’s case may be handled by Ombudsman

NOTHING HAS been proven so far against Senate President Manuel B. Villar, Jr. that will merit an ethics and privileges committee probe, a member of the majority bloc Sunday said. But this will not deter Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" A. S. Madrigal from filing a complaint with the ethics committee Monday against Mr. Villar, who has been accused of conflict of interest for a road works budget this year. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a legal expert, said the ethics committee looks into "offensive statements" against a senator and the Senate as an institution. Case other than these should be forwarded to the Ombudsman for criminal proceedings. Ms. Santiago said the complaint should focus only on "unparliamentary" acts and behavior considered "offensive" against a senator under the Senate rules. "Under the Constitution, financial interest of a public official in any government transaction or contract is prohibited. If that is the [minority’s] argument, then they should forward the case to the Ombudsman because that is criminal in nature," Ms. Santiago said in a radio interview. Although the ethics committee is open to any investigation as may be initiated by any senator, Senator Pilar Juliana "Pia" S. Cayetano, ethics committee chairman, said they "will cross the bridge when we get there, otherwise everything else is speculative." In his privilege speech on Sept. 25, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson linked Mr. Villar behind the alleged redundant appropriation in the budget for a single project, claiming that the P200 million appropriated for the extension of the Circumferential-5 (C-5) Road and another P200 million for the construction of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Avenue from South Luzon Expressway up to Sucat in Parañaque City, were one and the same project. Ms. Madrigal had also accused Villar-owned Brittany Corp. as having benefited from the controversial project. Mr. Villar, who had since remained silent, denied any wrongdoing. The controversy and subsequent bickering among senators has dragged on for weeks and has made the chamber virtually ineffective in its primary work. This has raised concerns from Malacañang that the approval of the 2009 budget may be affected by the infighting. - BusinessWorld