Speaker vows ‘due process’ in Singson’s case

MANILA -- Hearings on the case of Ilocos Sur Representative Ronald Singson will immediately start once Speaker Feliciano Belmonte has turned over the necessary documents to the House ethics committee.

Belmonte said he intends to submit the report, which contains a narration of facts gathered by a team led by Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo in August last year, when Congress resumes session on January 17.

“At this stage of the game, wherein we have 283 members, anybody could be expected to do something but the Speaker’s office will motu propio send whatever documents we already have,” he added, while noting that no ethics complaint was filed against Singson so far.

Lawyers representing Singson in Hong Kong stated that the legislator intends to enter a guilty plea to drug possession charges in the next court hearing on January 26.

Belmonte added that by submitting the documents to the ethics committee, Singson is accorded due process on his possible expulsion as a member of the House of Representatives.

“The official action of the House is to give due process to Congressman Singson and it starts even now, by not just relying on second hand information but by trying to get the original information ourselves,” he explained.

The House leader also stressed that the position of one congressman on the issue is not the stand of the House. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)