House leaders ask Singson to resign

MANILA, Philippines - Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson, who is facing charges of drug trafficking in Hong Kong, should resign to spare the House of Representatives from embarrassment and save himself from the humiliation of being expelled from the chamber, administration and opposition lawmakers said yesterday.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said Singson should step down following his reported plan to plead guilty to the lesser offense of possession of cocaine before the Wan Chai District Court.

As calls for Singson’s resignation mounted, lawmakers grappled with the problem on how to proceed with investigating one of their own. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. earlier said the House ethics and privileges committee was set to conduct an investigation into Singson’s case following mounting calls for his expulsion.

The 42 year-old lawmaker was arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport last July 11 for carrying 6.67 grams of cocaine and two tablets of a banned sedative. He, however, was allowed to post HK$1 million bail for his temporary liberty the following month but was prevented from leaving the Chinese special territory. He was placed under the custody of two Hong Kong businessmen.

The court is expected to decide on the plea on Jan. 26 even as prosecutors want him sentenced also for drug trafficking.

“While everything is still speculative at this point, his (Singson) lawyers in Hong Kong have already announced that he is going to plead guilty to a lesser charge or admit to a crime. Here, mere possession of drugs is already a serious crime. In entering a guilty plea, it means the court in Hong Kong will convict him assuming the court and the prosecution will agree to his plea bargain,” Gonzales told The STAR in a telephone interview.

He noted Congress, particularly the House, becomes the “punching bag” of an angry public whenever a lawmaker commits an abuse or even a minor misdemeanor.

He said he was sure Singson, just like any congressman during the electoral campaign, had spoken against the evils of illegal drugs.

Resigning, Gonzales said, is the “most decent” thing to do for the congressman.

He said an expulsion process would be tedious as it would start with committee hearings and end with a final vote of the entire chamber with two-thirds of the membership needed to uphold or overturn the report of the ethics panel.

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay, a senior member of the House minority bloc, said lawmakers should be “beyond reproach.”

“I think he should immediately step down,” Magsaysay said in a telephone interview. “We like Ronald and consider him a friend but that’s personal and that becomes a separate matter when it comes to our country.”

No way out

Magsaysay said she would have preferred to wait for the final verdict of the court in Hong Kong “but once you enter a guilty plea, there’s no way out of it.”

Magsaysay also said there was merit in the appeal of Singson’s father, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, that lawmakers expel fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson first before booting out his son.

Lacson is being accused of the murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000. While Lacson maintained his innocence, his “continued flight and hiding indicate he is guilty.”

“I think he should resign out of delicadeza,” first-term Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said.

“We will have to await the decision of the court. At this stage, it is premature to discuss any disciplinary action,” Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the House committee on justice, said he agreed with calls to have Singson investigated by the ethics committee “considering the gravity of the offense.”

“Under the Constitution, it is the House of Representatives that has the power to discipline its members,” Tupas said.

‘Legal strategy’

In a radio interview, the governor lashed out at his son’s colleagues who are either urging him to resign or seeking his expulsion. He said lawmakers should focus their attention on drug victims.

“Please tell those ‘know-it-alls’ in Congress that while Ronald pleaded to illegal possession of drugs, he is not yet convicted by the court,” Singson said from Australia where he is reportedly on vacation with Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and his family.

“Remember, my son is the victim here. He was framed by that person now jailed there (in the Philippines). If Ronald admits to drug trafficking, I would be the one to kill him,” he said.

He said his son’s lawyers advised him to plead guilty to a lesser offense otherwise his bail would be withdrawn and he would have been put behind bars last Dec. 31.

Ronald had to admit to possession for personal use as a legal strategy to skip jail time, he said.

Singson earlier said his son’s lawyers would contest the more serious charges hurled by the prosecutors and would present three witnesses to defend their case.

No shortcuts

While Singson’s case was a serious matter, there should be no shortcuts in any move by the chamber to investigate and decide on his case, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said, adding the matter of resignation would be a personal decision for Singson.

“Regardless of social status, the constitutional dictum that one is innocent until proven guilty should always prevail,” Castelo said in a statement. “Congress as an institution should not be made as an excuse to shortcut fundamental human rights. The rule of law should always prevail and Congress, as the maker and repository of laws, should not encourage any violation thereof.”

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Biazon and Marikina City Rep. Federico Romero Quimbo, who headed the legal team that went to Hong Kong in August, said based on House rules, the ethics committee chaired by Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado panel cannot proceed until Singson’s case is finally resolved.

“The rules are clear that where the subject matter of the complaint against a member is pending in a judicial proceeding, the committee shall defer action until final judgment,” Quimbo said in a text message. “The House is thus constrained to wait for the Jan. 26 hearing where Rep. Singson has signified he will enter his plea. Thus, anything at this point is premature,” Quimbo said.

But he stressed a complaint against Singson may already be filed and initiated at this point.

“I’m thinking of filing a resolution for an amendment to the rules of the House that if a member is convicted of a criminal offense, he or she should be expelled automatically, there should be no more deliberation,” Biazon said.

“Let the case be a reminder for House members that the people expect us to act with the highest moral standards. After all, we are given the sole constitutional privilege to make laws that will affect the daily lives of our people,” Quimbo said.

Different rules

Senators Gregorio Honasan and Vicente Sotto III said the chamber’s treatment of Lacson’s case is based on rules.

“My initial reaction is that it is a sentiment of a father and both chambers are responsible enough, the collective wisdom of Congress and the Senate will definitely take that into consideration that uniform standards will have to be applied for disciplinary action,” said Honasan, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs.

“Since both houses are collegial and consensual, that has to be decided by the majority of both chambers,” Honasan said referring to Lacson’s and Singson’s cases.

Sen. Francis Escudero said it is still premature to decide on both cases.

“It’s premature at this point. Both cases presuppose conviction or admission of guilt by the accused member, not present, at least not yet in both cases,” Escudero said.

Escudero defended the Senate from criticism that it has been soft on Lacson saying Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has already suspended the budget of the fugitive senator.

“In addition, as far as Senator Lacson is concerned, the funds and budget of his office have already been withheld given his status as a fugitive,” Escudero said.

“Once there is conviction or admission of guilt, expulsion should indeed come as a matter of course because it constitutions disqualification (conviction of a crime) to hold public office in the Philippines,” said Escudero, a lawyer.

Sotto, meanwhile, reminded Governor Singson that there is inter-parliamentary courtesy that both chambers should observe.

“At the Senate, we observe what is called parliamentary ethics and we don’t meddle in House rules as we expect them to also observe the same, and therefore the golden rule. Besides, Senator Lacson is pleading innocence, not guilt,” he said.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, for his part, said he understands Singson’s lament. “Governor Singson is a father and being a father myself I know his situation,” Pangilinan said. “Let’s just wait for the House of Representatives to decide on the matter.” with Jess Diaz and Christina Mendez