Move to oust Trillanes from Senate pushed

A move to expel Senator Antonio Trillanes from his post has been pushed in the Senate. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Friday filed an urgent resolution asking punitive action against Trillanes for leading the power grab Thursday at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati. The senator said she is asking her colleagues to express “the sense of the Senate that it is an unparliamentary act for a senator to lead" an attempt to oust President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 49 military officers and their supporters - including former vice president Teofisto Guingona - were under arrest Friday following a failed attempt to trigger a ''people power'' revolt against Mrs Arroyo. “On 29 November 2007, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is detained and under trial on a charge of coup d’etat, walked out of a Makati courtroom and stormed into a hotel where he participated in the reading of a prepared seditious statement calling not only for the President to resign, but also for the public, in effect, to compel her to leave office," Santiago’s resolution said. She said under Senate Rule 34, Section 97, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges may punish any member for disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the entire membership, suspend or expel a member. Citing Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution, Santiago said “the President, as commander-in-chief, is supreme not only over the military, but also over its rogue elements." In calling for sanctions against the former Navy officer turned senator, Santiago said: “The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, should meet immediately and recommend the proper punishment for Senator Trillanes for disorderly behavior and unparliamentary acts and language, including if necessary, his suspension or expulsion from the Senate." - GMANews.TV