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'Boycott' dooms Senate move to censure Villar on C5 mess


(Update 5 - 7:59 PM) The Philippine Senate failed to come up with the numbers needed to act on a move to censure Senator Manuel Villar for reportedly amassing profits from a controversial road project. Only 11 senators were present on Wednesday, the last session before the Congress takes a break for the May 2010 elections. As a result, they failed to form a quorum, prompting the early adjournment of the session. The senators have yet to decide on the appropriate voting process for the committee report that recommended the censure of Villar, a strong presidential contender, after the document said he amassed profits from a C-5 government project. [See: The C5 extension controversy: An interactive map] Allies of Villar said the vote of two-thirds of the whole Senate or 16 senators are needed to adopt the report. But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile insisted that the vote of majority of the quorum or senators present in the session hall will be enough. The chamber is expected to convene again on May 31. However, it will assemble as the Board of Canvassers, a body that will count votes cast during the presidential elections. Villar, running mate absent Besides Villar, among the other 11 who were absent were Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Senators Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Alan Peter Cayetano, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Joker Arroyo, and Loren Legarda. Legarda is the vice-presidential candidate of the Nationalist People's Coalition but is the running-mate of Villar. Senators Edgardo Angara, Ramon Revilla Jr., Manuel 'Lito' Lapid, Panfilo Lacson were also absent on Wednesday. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is currently incarcerated. Enrile said the absences of most senators was part of the effort to prevent the chamber from discussing the committee report censuring Villar. Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal had proposed the arrest of those absent to force them to attend the session but Enrile thumbed it down. Senators criticize quorum lack The quorum lack was criticized by the senators present during Wednesday’s session. “At a time when we can put a closure on the issue, the minority now has chosen the back way out," Madrigal said during the proceedings. “The issue is not against Mr. Villar. It is against corruption." When it was his turn to speak, Senator Jose “Jinggoy" Estrada said he was “disgusted" by absence of the other 11 lawmakers. “It is evident that they boycotted the last day of the session to dispose of the C-5 issue. What a shame!" he said. In the meantime, Senator Richard Gordon, said that the absent senators “weaseled out of their responsibility." “What a show of irresponsibility," said Gordon, who is also running for president. “They cannot face the public... I am really sorry for them. Most of all, I am most sorry for our country." Absent senators oppose ‘railroading’ of bills In the meantime, the Senate’s minority bloc admitted boycotting the session on Wednesday but said it was unrelated to the chamber’s move to vote on a report that recommended Villar’s censure. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said they decided to boycott the session to prevent the railroading of two bills that will reportedly allow President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to secure more funds for her campaign. "We received information that they are planning to railroad two bills," Cayetano said in a press conference after the session’s adjournment. He was referring to the National Telecommunications Commission bill which will extend the term of its officials to five years and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation bill which will give its officials six more years in office. If enacted, these bills will allow Arroyo to appoint officials of NTC and Pagcor, Cayetano said. “There is a big possibility that the officials will be loyal to her," he added. "These two agencies are funding mechanisms. If the officials of these agencies are loyal to Mrs. Arroyo, they might be used to fund her in her next three years if she will be elected in the House of Representatives," Cayetano said. The duty of the minority bloc is to fiscalize, which can be done by refusing to attend the session, the senator added. He further said the majority bloc could have extended the session until Friday but it did not. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said what happened Wednesday was caused by a failure of leadership. "The leadership's partisanship divided the Senate irreparably. It's unprecedented in the annals of the Senate," he said in a text message to reporters. - with Andreo Calonzo, RJAB Jr./GMANews.TV
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