Press Release
May 18, 2009

Zubiri asks minority members to participate in the voting on Thursday

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri today appealed to the members of the minority bloc to participate in the voting on Thursday.

Voting of the senators, according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, also the presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole, will determine whether or not there is credible substantial evidence to support the complaint presented by the lawyers of Sen. Jamby Madrigal, the complainant against Sen. Manuel Villar.

"I appeal to my colleagues in the Minority to attend the next proceedings of the Committee of the Whole. It is the duty of all senators whether we are in the Majority or in the Minority or whatever political party or political affiliation we are in," Zubiri said.

In a manifestation during the continuation of the inquiry on Villar Monday morning, the Majority Leader said the senators should not let the public think that the Senate is "like an all boys club" wherein a member who committed a violation could just do away from any sanction.

"I think we have to show the public that we have to step up to our job as an honorable men and women of the Senate," he said.

He likewise stressed that "it is the duty of every senator to watch each other and ensure that no member commit any misconduct or bring shame to the Senate as an institution."

The members of the Committee Whole were given until Thursday to review the preliminary inquiry report drafted by the Legal Counsel of the Committee before casting their vote on whether or not to adopt the recommendation.

Enrile distributed the confidential copy of the preliminary report submitted by the committee's Legal Counsel Monday.

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