STATEMENT OF SENATE MINORITY BLOC (SENS. AQUINO, DE LIMA, DRILON, PANGILINAN, TRILLANES) ON FILING OF WIRETAPPING CASE VS SEN HONTIVEROS

The filing of charges against Senator Risa Hontiveros is a clear case of political harassment and intimidation -- one in a continuing attempt by the administration and its allies to silence the political opposition, including other colleagues, Senators Leila de Lima (drug-related before courts) and Antonio Trillanes IV (ethics before the blue ribbon), and independent institutions like the Supreme Court, the Ombudsman, and the Commission on Human Rights.

Secretary Aguirre's exposed text conversation proves that the filing of charges against Senator Hontiveros has been long planned.

Democracy, our democracy, requires and protects a variety of voices. It requires and protects checks and balances, which the opposition provides and which the state has been trying to suppress.