SC order means Senate should defer action on Villar case – Joker

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Joker Arroyo on Friday said the Senate committee of the whole “should refrain from proceeding with the case" against Senator Manuel Villar Jr. after the Supreme Court ordered it to file a comment on the petition of the minority bloc. In a press statement, Arroyo said once the Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction over a case, out of deference to the High Court, “the parties exercising abundance of prudence should refrain from proceeding with the case to enable the court to look into it." “Effectively, the hearings on June 1 and June 4 scheduled by the committee of the whole should, as a matter of course, be deferred," Arroyo said. Otherwise, the senator said, the Supreme Court proceedings would be rendered meaningless. Arroyo said the high tribunal acted “with commendable speed" when it ordered the committee to comment on the petition not later than 9 a.m. on June 2. For his part, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the SC resolution is “better than nothing." He added it is up to the committee to determine its response on the resolution. The minority bloc had asked the SC last week to stop the committee of the whole from proceeding with the ethics hearing. On Thursday, the committee adopted the preliminary conference report on the complaint filed by Senator Ma Ana Consuelo Madrigal after finding it sufficient in form and substance. Members of the committee of the whole are yet to issue a comment on the SC resolution. Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV