Gordon warns Feshan execs: Surrender or face jail time

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today warned the two executives of Feshan Philippines , to immediately surrender so that they can appear and testify before the Senate blue ribbon committee on its next hearing -- or they would have to face jail time.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, said the arrest orders against Julie Gregorio and Reden Antolin, president and vice-president of Feshan, respectively, are still in effect and if they do not surrender, they would have to be detained at Pasay City Jail once they are caught.

"If they are arrested and they did not surrender, they will go straight to Pasay jail," he said, referring to the arrest orders the panel issued against Gregorio and Antolin. The arrest orders against them have been signed by 13 senators.

"The Senate has to stop being a hotel for people who are recalcitrant, those who do not respect the Senate. Any individual, regardless of status, should respect the functions of the Senate," he added.

Gregorio was cited in contempt and ordered arrested by the Senate blue ribbon committee due to her failure to appear before the hearings and submit documents requested by the panel despite personal notices sent to her.

Meanwhile, the committee also cited Antolin in contempt and ordered his arrest for falsely and evasively testifying during the Dec. 10 hearing when he said that it was Leonicia Llarena, along with Marites Aytona, who approached Feshan and talked with them about the fertilizer fund project.

However, at the Dec. 17 hearing, Llarena said she did not approach Feshan, but rather, it was Aytona who introduced her to the Feshan executives.

Gordon said both Gregorio and Antolin should immediately submit themselves before the Senate's custody so that they can testify at the next committee's proceedings and, once and for all, could clear their names from any complicity.