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MANILA - The Senate Ethics Committee ordered Senator Leila De Lima to submit her reply to the two but consolidated complaints for violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code, within 15 days after receipt of the copy.

According to Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, the panel has ruled on the sufficiency in form and substance and jurisdiction over two separate ethics complaints against De Lima.

"We (will) inform her of the two complaints that we are taking up, and ask for the reply of Sen. De Lima perhaps 15 days after she receives the complaint," Sotto, chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, told the panel during the public hearing.

Sotto said that the panel concurred with his motion to consolidate the two separate complaints since they were deemed sufficient in form and substance and jurisdiction since the offense was committed when she was a senator.

"There is form and substance and jurisdiction on the complaint of the House of the Representatives and second supplemental complaint of Atty. De Jesus on violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code," Sotto said.

Aside from Sotto, among those members who were present during the hearing were Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, Manny Pacquiao and Risa Hontiveros.

"So, I will draft the resolution giving Sen. De Lima the copy of the complaint, we will ask her, Sen. De Lima, to answer, we are giving her 15 days upon her receipt to give her reply," Sotto reiterated.


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Sotto further explained that the two earlier complaints against De Lima were dismissed by the panel with concurrence of the members, since it has no jurisdiction over the incident that transpired when she was not yet a senator.

"On the complaint filed by Mr. Ronillo Pulmano, the alleged bribery was committed when she was at the time justice secretary. Therefore there was no jurisdiction," Sotto said.

Sotto said that the first complaint of Atty. De Jesus was also dismissed since it was an occurrence during her incumbency as justice secretary in which she is being accused of involvement in the illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison.

"Now, on the complaint filed by Speaker Alvarez et al, for violation of Article 150, of the Revised Penal Code, and the complaint filed by Atty. De Jesus, as his second supplemental complaint, the allegation was for an act committed when she was already a senator," Sotto noted.

The ethics committee accepted the complaints wherein Sen. De Lima was accused of instructing Ronnie Dayan, her former driver and alleged lover, to snub the House of Representatives' probe on the proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

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Source: interaksyon

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