The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges will adopt a ‘first in, first out’ approach in hearing all ethics complaints that are pending before the panel, its new chair, Senator JV Ejercito, said on Wednesday.
‘In keeping with fairness and transparency, the Committee intends to deliberate on the four pending complaints filed against individual senators in the order they were received, following a ‘first in, first out’ approach,’ he said in a statement.
Ejercito did not divulge information on the identities of the senators, saying ‘it might not sit well with those who have a case.’
‘I have to get the consent of the members. Unfortunately, committee members haven’t been constituted,’ he noted.
Ejercito issued the statement after lawyer Marvin Aceron questioned the senator’s alleged failure to give a formal response to his complaint about Sen. Francis Escudero’s alleged receipt of campaign donation in 2022 from Lawrence Lubiano, the owner of a construction firm that won government projects in Bicol.
Aceron submitted his complaint to Ejercito’s office last October 2, and followed it up with an Omnibus Motion on Oct. 20.
As of November 5, the lawyer said he has yet to receive a formal response from the Senate Ethics Committee – a violation of Section 5 (a) of Republic Act 6713 that orders all public officials and employees to respond to communications sent by the public within 15 working days from receipt.
Ejercito, in his remarks, explained that they were appointed just days before the adjournment of sessions.
‘Please note that the Committee is not yet fully constituted and, therefore, cannot hold meetings or hearings. Membership is yet to be manifested and completed during resumption of plenary session next week,’ the senator said.
‘We will proceed immediately after the Committee is organized and its internal rules are adopted. We are committed to carrying out our mandate with integrity, impartiality and full respect for due process,’ added the senator.