Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — House Justice Committee chairman Rey Umali has filed a complaint against Senator Leila de Lima at the Senate Ethics committee for snubbing hearings in the lower house on the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison.
Aside from Umali, the complaint accusing de Lima of misconduct is signed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House Majority Leader Rudy Farinas.
It was received by Senator Tito Sotto, Senate Majority Leader and chairman of the Ethics Committee as well as Senators Ping Lacson and Gregorio Honasan, both members of the committee.
Umali says the House leadership is disappointed with de Lima’s disrespect for the House inquiry, which she described as a kangaroo court. The senator also discouraged a prospective witness, Ronnie Dayan, from attending the hearings.
Sotto will review the complaint and give copies to other committee members before making a recommendation. He will also ask de Lima to reply.
Sotto says it’s impossible for the committee to hold hearings before the Christmas break, which begins December 15, but he will make sure the matter is settled as soon as possible.
This is the second complaint against de Lima before the Ethics Committee. The first was filed for an act she committed while she was still Justice Secretary. Sotto says he’s ready to draft a committee report on that first complaint.
