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Senators to vote on C-5 report vs Villar on Wednesday – Zubiri


Members of the Senate majority bloc and allies of Senator Manuel Villar Jr. are expected to go head to head on Wednesday when they vote on the report seeking the censure of the embattled presidential aspirant in connection with the C-5 Road extension project controversy. With barely a week before Congress ends session, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Sunday said the Senate would tackle important pending bills on Monday and Tuesday before resuming discussions on the committee of the whole’s report. “Sa early Wednesday na lang tayo makipag-debate (tungkol) sa C-5. Magkamayan na tayo at umpisahan na po natin ang electoral campaign (On early Wednesday, we will resume the debates. Afterward, we can shake hands and start the electoral campaign)," Zubiri said in an interview on dzBB radio. Both houses of Congress will end their sessions on Friday, February 5. The campaign season begins on Tuesday next week, February 9. On Monday and Tuesday last week, the Senate tackled the committee of the whole’s 84-page report but failed to vote on whether to censure Villar over the alleged anomalies he committed in the Department of Public Works and Highway’s C-5 Road Extension Project. Villar allegedly intervened in the project and used the 2008 national budget to fund the controversial project, which supposedly benefited his properties in Las Piñas and Parañaque Cities. [See GMANews.TV’s interactive map on the C-5 controversy.] Twelve of the 23 senators have so far affixed their signatures on the report. At least 16 signatures are needed to make the report official. In Sunday’s interview, Zubiri said that the Senate session on Wednesday would no longer tackle the minority bloc’s resolution clearing Villar because “the minority’s report is almost the same thing." Zubiri likewise asked his colleagues to refrain from using “unparliamentary remarks" because such could cast a negative light on the Senate. “They could use eloquent and colorful language that are not insulting instead," Zubiri said in Filipino. Senators were criticized last week for trading barbs that were said to be personal and inappropriate. [See: Breakdown of decorum at Senate session on Villar] Bicam urged to speed up report on Freedom of Info bill In the interview, Zubiri also asked the Congress’ bicameral conference committee to come out with its report on the Freedom of Information bill so it could be ratified already. “Sa ating mga miyembro, ilabas na po ang bicameral conference committee report. Please don’t sabotage, para ma-ratify na po natin iyon (We ask the members to come out with the bicameral conference committee report. Please don’t sabotage so we can ratify it already," Zubiri said. The bill, which sought to strengthen the people’s right to access information, especially government records, was approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives’ bicameral conference committee last Wednesday. After the approval, Congress has to ratify the bill. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will then sign the proposed measure for it to become a law. - LBG, GMANews.TV

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