VILLAR'S SPOKESMAN ADVISED TO PURSUE COMPLAINT
AGAINST MADRIGAL IN COURT

Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today advised former Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, spokesman of Sen. Manuel Villar and the Nacionalista Party, to bring his complaint of defamatory and unparliamentary language against Sen. Jamby Madrigal to the courts instead of pursuing it with the Senate ethics committee in order not to politicize it.

The minority had earlier questioned the handling by the ethics committee, chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, of the complaint against Villar over the C-5 road mess. But Pimentel said the filing of Remulla's complaint with the same committee will complicate the situation.

He warned Remulla that his complaint is in danger of being prejudiced or stalled because of the unresolved issues in the Villar case that were raised by the minority, specially after its investigation was taken over by the committee of the whole.

Unless these issues are settled, Pimentel said that the minority is not inclined to designate its representatives to the ethics committee.

Remulla filed the complaint against Madrigal after she, during interviews with the media outside the Senate session hall, called the former Cavite congressman "corruption king" in Cavite who belongs to a family of "landgrabbers" in Cavite. He said such use of "vile" language does not befit a senator of the land and injures the institution of the Senate that she represents.

Pimentel noted Remulla's own statement that aside from the complaint with the Senate ethics panel, he will file a libel suit against Madrigal with a Regional Trial Court.

"My personal opinion is that it would be better for Mr. Remulla to go ahead with the filing of the libel suit against Madrigal before the regular courts. Should he insist on pursuing his complaint with the ethics committee, the problem is his case will be will be politicized," he said.

Pimentel, however, said that he will consult with other minority senators on the course of action they will take with the filing of the Remulla complaint with the ethics committee.

"Even if the Supreme Court did not issue a temporary restraining order, I believe that Senate committee of the whole should desist from conducting the hearings out of respect for the court. Let the court fully study the petition and make its judgment," he said.

Pimentel said the minority senators will stick to their stand not to take part in the hearings for as long as the rules are not amended and made fair to accord Villar or any other senator his right to due process.

He said neither can Villar be compelled to testify and present evidence in his defense before the committee of the whole unless the minority's demand to rid the rules of flawed provisions is granted.

"We maintain that if the rules are wrong, the decision is bound to be wrong."