Villar given until Friday to answer ethics complaint
10/13/2009 | 02:22 PM
The Senate committee of the whole has given Senator Manuel Villar until Friday to answer the allegations against him in connection with the controversial C-5 extension road project as the body starts preparing to come out with its report, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Tuesday.
At the resumption of the hearing, Enrile said the committee has already asked Villar to indicate his readiness to submit his evidence but the latter has yet to give his answer.
"The notice was sent to him (Villar) on October 6, and today, October 13, there has been no reply to the written notification to the respondent whether he wants to submit any evidence to controvert the evidence presented by complainant, Senator Ma Ana Consuelo Madrigal," Enrile said.
Enrile chairs the Senate committee of the whole.
"We will give the respondent until Friday to tell us if indeed he will waive (his right to be heard) or he is not willing to submit any evidence," Enrile said.
He stressed that if the committee will fail to receive any notice from Villar, the ethics case against the former Senate chief will then be submitted for consideration and resolution. "We will decide the case on the basis of the evidence. Pagdating ng December baka meron na kaming desisyon (We might arrive at a decision by December)."
If Villar decides to submit his evidence, Enrile said the former must indicate in his reply to the committee when he would want to do it.
"It cannot be forever, it cannot be after the year, cannot be after the month of November, cannot be longer than two weeks. We will give him time to be heard after the recess if there is such indication," Enrile said.
"If not we will start writing the committee report," he added. He, however, refused to say the punishment Villar will face if found guilty of the complaint.
"Hindi ko sasabihin ang penalty dahil para bang me conclusion na (I will not tell you the penalty because it will look like we already reached a conclusion)," he said.
Villar camp silent so far
As of posting time, Villar’s camp has yet to comment on this recent development.
Villar has consistently refused to attend the proceedings, saying the committee members have already decided, from the very start, to pin him down on the case.
Enrile earlier said that the committee will wrap up its hearing with or without the participation of Villar. [See: Senate set to wrap up its hearing on ethics complaint vs Villar]
The committee has terminated the presentation of Madrigal’s camp of its evidence.
Among those presented by the complainant in the past hearings to prove the liability of Villar were lawyer Yolanda Doblon, director general of the Legislative Budget and Research Management Office; consultant Anastacio Adriano Jr.; and former revenue officer Carmelita Bacod.
Villar stands accused of allegedly making an insertion of P200 million in Republic Act 9498 or the General Appropriations Act of 2008 for the construction of the C5 extension from South Luzon Expressway to Sucat Road including the right of way even though the project was already covered in the same law with the same amount.
He is also accused of realigning the C5 road extension project to benefit properties registered in the name of corporations that he and his family own and control.
There was also supposedly a conflict of interest on Villar’s part when he failed to divest himself of interest in corporations whose properties were acquired by the government for road right of way for the Las Piñas-Paranaque road. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV
At the resumption of the hearing, Enrile said the committee has already asked Villar to indicate his readiness to submit his evidence but the latter has yet to give his answer.
"The notice was sent to him (Villar) on October 6, and today, October 13, there has been no reply to the written notification to the respondent whether he wants to submit any evidence to controvert the evidence presented by complainant, Senator Ma Ana Consuelo Madrigal," Enrile said.
Enrile chairs the Senate committee of the whole.
"We will give the respondent until Friday to tell us if indeed he will waive (his right to be heard) or he is not willing to submit any evidence," Enrile said.
He stressed that if the committee will fail to receive any notice from Villar, the ethics case against the former Senate chief will then be submitted for consideration and resolution. "We will decide the case on the basis of the evidence. Pagdating ng December baka meron na kaming desisyon (We might arrive at a decision by December)."
If Villar decides to submit his evidence, Enrile said the former must indicate in his reply to the committee when he would want to do it.
"It cannot be forever, it cannot be after the year, cannot be after the month of November, cannot be longer than two weeks. We will give him time to be heard after the recess if there is such indication," Enrile said.
"If not we will start writing the committee report," he added. He, however, refused to say the punishment Villar will face if found guilty of the complaint.
"Hindi ko sasabihin ang penalty dahil para bang me conclusion na (I will not tell you the penalty because it will look like we already reached a conclusion)," he said.
Villar camp silent so far
As of posting time, Villar’s camp has yet to comment on this recent development.
Villar has consistently refused to attend the proceedings, saying the committee members have already decided, from the very start, to pin him down on the case.
Enrile earlier said that the committee will wrap up its hearing with or without the participation of Villar. [See: Senate set to wrap up its hearing on ethics complaint vs Villar]
The committee has terminated the presentation of Madrigal’s camp of its evidence.
Among those presented by the complainant in the past hearings to prove the liability of Villar were lawyer Yolanda Doblon, director general of the Legislative Budget and Research Management Office; consultant Anastacio Adriano Jr.; and former revenue officer Carmelita Bacod.
Villar stands accused of allegedly making an insertion of P200 million in Republic Act 9498 or the General Appropriations Act of 2008 for the construction of the C5 extension from South Luzon Expressway to Sucat Road including the right of way even though the project was already covered in the same law with the same amount.
He is also accused of realigning the C5 road extension project to benefit properties registered in the name of corporations that he and his family own and control.
There was also supposedly a conflict of interest on Villar’s part when he failed to divest himself of interest in corporations whose properties were acquired by the government for road right of way for the Las Piñas-Paranaque road. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV
