JV EJERCITO: PALACE DID NOT HAVE A HAND ON DE LIMA'S OUSTER

Senator JV Ejercito today said Malacañang did not have a hand on the Senate's decision to remove Senator Leila De Lima as Chairperson of the Committee on Justice.

Ejercito, who is one of the sixteen senators who voted in favor of the committee's vacancy of chairmanship and membership, said it had been a difficult decision since it involved a colleague.

"It was the Senate's collective decision. We members of the majority are concerned of the effects of the continuous efforts to destroy President Rodrigo Duterte. It is dragging the whole country down, as evidenced by the international media's portrayal of the Philippines at present. It is also dividing our people," the senator said explaining his vote.

Ejercito explained that his vote was also for the people to give chance for the Duterte administration.

"They've only been in office for 3 months. Any uprising or upheaval will not benefit the country at this point in time. We have had 2 EDSA revolts, and it did not help improve our our situation," he said.