Senate belittled...

[istoryador]

---

Senate president slams attempt to arrest Estrada


By Veronica Uy
INQ7.net
Last updated 05:08pm (Mla time) 08/16/2006


SENATE President Manuel Villar on Wednesday slammed an attempt by policemen to serve a warrant of arrest on opposition Senator Jose “Jinggoy� Estrada on the libel case filed by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

“We condemn it,� Villar said. “Ang lakas ng loob nila (How dare they do it).�

He said the arrest attempt appeared to be part of a pattern to belittle the Senate.

Villar said eight Pasay City policemen went to the Senate security office and told personnel there they were out to serve the warrant issued by Judge Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan.

Informed of this, the Senate president said he immediately met the policemen and prevailed on them not to continue with their attempt.

Estrada took to the podium to deliver a privileged speech denouncing Malacañang and Arroyo for the attempt to arrest him.

Proof of this, he said, was when the policemen were informed about Article 6, Section 11 of the Constitution, which provides that no lawmaker may be arrested for offenses that carry penalties of less than six years while Congress is in session.

In response, he said, the policemen asked Villar and the Senate sergeant-at-arms: “Paano po kung tawagin kami ng Malacanang? Ano'ng sasabihin namin (What happens is Malacañang calls us? What should we tell them)?�

“Clearly, they cannot arrest a senator while Congress is in session. Why then did elements of the Pasay City police come here to arrest me? Have they no respect for this venerable chamber and the Constitution?� Estrada asked.

He said the libel case stemmed from his interpellation during a budget hearing on January 23 in which he called the First Gentleman “the biggest smuggler in this country.�

While recalling the circumstances behind the charges, he again called Arroyo the “bagman� of his wife, the President, and vowed that the charges would not stop him from performing his duty and “continu(ing) with the crusade (against) the Godfather of all Smugglers in the Philippines.�

[istoryador]

A Senator should not be arrested while Senate is in session. Besides, a Senator enjoys parliamentary immunity from arrest for crimes punishable below six years.

Tje Senate is no longer respected as an institution.

[kamikaze426]

haya2x d i ani mga politiko sa naa man immunity...

[SamuraiArcher]

dakpon na lang si Estrada kung walay sesion...

[pandisal]

pwede raman na dakpon si jinggoy... wala mana siya attend2x sa session sa senate pud ... :P

[potterboy]

ni-attend kay dakponon man. weehehehe...

“Clearly, they cannot arrest a senator while Congress is in session. Why then did elements of the Pasay City police come here to arrest me? Have they no respect for this venerable chamber and the Constitution?� Estrada asked.

ngiga titing jinggoy ah. scripted kaau.

pero on the other side, wala say ayo atong mga nidakop oi. bisan gamay respeto lang sad ta noh? posas lang pagkahuman sa session.

[fingolfin]

ni-attend kay dakponon man. weehehehe...

ngiga titing jinggoy ah. scripted kaau.

pero on the other side, wala say ayo atong mga nidakop oi. bisan gamay respeto lang sad ta noh? posas lang pagkahuman sa session.

... correct, he then uses his immunity to full use. such a stupid act. it is clear and evident that there's a warrant of arrest for jinngoy. let's see if there's gonna be a big fuzz about this...

[M@rv|n]

hahaha lingaw ko sa reaction ni drilon ... gi ingnan nya ang judge na ignorant na wala ba diay cya kabalo nga immune ang senate

In response, he said, the policemen asked Villar and the Senate sergeant-at-arms: “Paano po kung tawagin kami ng Malacanang? Ano'ng sasabihin namin (What happens is Malacañang calls us? What should we tell them)?�

murag na klaro nuon na pakolo ni mike

[fingolfin]

.. talking about the senate, they are a bunch of kids - or grown ups acting like kids.

[budmendz]

.. talking about the senate, they are a bunch of kids - or grown ups acting like kids.

The real kids are even much better than them because kids feel shame. These kids in the senate don't.