Senate panel set to clear Cayetano on BW scandal?

The Senate committee on ethics headed by Sen. Francis Pangilinan appears all set to clear Sen. Renato Cayetano of charges that he used his office to make money in the stock offering of gaming firm Best World Resources in 1999.

This came after Pangilinan said that with the nonappearance before the committee of businessman Dante Tan, founder of BW Resources, pertinent evidence could not be secured.

Tan, a crony of former President Joseph Estrada, reportedly left the country after Estrada was unseated by EDSA II.

"Dante Tan’s testimony is material. Without him, we will have a difficult time understanding the charges," he said.

He pointed out that the testimony and papers given to his committee by other persons, including a taped broadcast interview of Dante Tan, could only be considered "hearsay" unless corroborated by Tan himself in a sworn statement and personal testimony before the committee.

He said that only Tan could say if Cayetano really took advantage of his position as senator to acquire shares of BW Resources, and that the testimony of other persons would not carry as much weight.

"We go by evidence," he stressed.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has written Pangilinan a letter asking the committee not to terminate the hearing of the complaint against Cayetano. Pimentel said that they have more witnesses to present.

Pangilinan, however, said that only the appearance of somebody like Tan would make the committee continue with the hearings.

He said that the investigation started five months ago and he believes that it is now time for the committee to come out with its findings.

"The committee cannot be said to have acted hastily on this," Pangilinan added. – Efren Danao