Ethics complaint filed vs. Pia Cayetano over 'spliced' Chel Diokno video in impeachment trial

Several women’s rights advocates, academics, and feminists on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against Senator Pia Cayetano over a social media post that allegedly featured a spliced video of Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno in the impeachment trial.

The complainants asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate and impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions against Cayetano for allegedly posting the misleading video while serving as a senator-judge in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Naniniwala kami na dapat imbestigahan ang ginawang pag-post ni Senator Pia ng spliced video during an impeachment trial process," Juanna Caumeran of EveryWoman told reporters.

"Naniniwala kami na ito ay hindi magandang conduct, hindi tamang conduct ng isang senador, lalong-lalo na ng isang senator-judge sa isang ongoing impeachment trial,” she added.

(We believe the Senate Ethics Committee should probe Cayetano’s posting of the spliced video during an impeachment trial process. We believe it is not proper conduct, especially of a senator-judge serving in an ongoing impeachment trial.)

“Nananawagan kami sa Ethics Committee na simulan na ang imbestigasyon at kung kinakailangang patawan ng karampartang parusa ang senadora sa kaniyang ginawang pag-post ng official FB page nya ng spliced video,” Caumeran said.

(We believe the Senate Ethics Committee should investigate and impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions against Cayetano on her actions.)

GMA News has reached out to Cayetano for comment.

According to the complainants, Cayetano's actions violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) and breached the constitutional oath of senator-judges to render "impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws of the Philippines.”

They also said Cayetano undermined public confidence in the neutrality expected of the impeachment court and risked eroding trust in both the Senate and the impeachment process when she reposted the video.

The complainants are former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Patricia "Tatti" Licuanan, University of the Philippines-Diliman professor Jean Franco, who is also Co-Convenor of Everywoman, Maria Cristy Balleras, Jocelyn Gerldino, Janette Balanguit and Estrella Soriana of the Parents Initiative and Social Awareness Mainstreaming Advocacy (PINASAMA), Hammimah Sarip Kalaw of the Sanctuary Network, Joahna Marie Dela Cruz, Student Council President of the Pamantasan Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)-College of Public Administration, Edrianna Villaruz of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), Joanna Marie Caumeran of Everywoman, Oliva Solis of the District Wide Advocates Quezon City (DIWA), abd Lourdes Magtibay of the Pandayan Para sa Sosyalistang Pilipinas (PANDAYAN). –NB, GMA News