Senate ethics panel junks ethics complaints vs De Lima

(Eagle News) — The Senate ethics committee has junked the three ethics cases filed against detained Senator Leila de Lima.

It was Senator Franklin Drilon who moved for the dismissal of the cases filed by the House of Representatives led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and lawyer Abelardo de Jesus following allegations De Lima advised Ronnie Dayan against attending the House probe into her alleged role in illegal drug trading in the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary.

According to Drilon, the panel had no jurisdiction over the cases, noting that there was already one filed in court.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Gringo Honasan seconded the motion.

Lacson argued the alleged violations were not “related to an official act as a senator.”

Honasan, for his part, noted that the dismissal should be done for humanitarian reasons.