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Monday, March 20, 2006
5 lawmakers have until March 23 to stay in House: Speaker
By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre
DAGUPAN CITY -- House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia Jr. said Sunday the fate of five party-list congressmen will be known on March 23, the deadline given by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for them to respond to rebellion charges filed against them.
The "Batasan 5" is made up Representatives Liza Maza of Gabriela, Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, and Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Joel Virador of Bayan Muna.
The five have been threatened with arrest and have sought refuge in the House of Representatives under de Venecia's custody.
"If the DOJ and the other courts are convinced that there is no case or evidence against them, then they would be set free. But if after the preliminary investigation, it would be found that there is adequate evidence, warrants of arrest would be issued against the five congressmen. With the arrest warrants, I would have no choice but to turn them over to the police," said de Venecia.
Maza went out of the House of Representatives on the evening of March 6 and attended a bicameral conference committee hearing in the Senate.
As a result, the police asked the justice department that they be given custody of the five congressmen. The justice department, in turn, wrote de Venecia asking him to respond to the police's petition.
De Venecia said he would be filing his response to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr.
"My reply in essence will say I want to know if there is hard evidence. If there is, then we would be waiting for the warrants of arrest. If there is none, I would demand that they be set free," he said.
"We have to comply with the legal process. The legal process means that since they signed a waiver of detention, they will now have to complete the preliminary investigation. Upon its completion, then we will know if warrants of arrest would be issued or if the court would decide that the case should be dismissed," he added.
In taking the five militant lawmakers into custody, de Venecia said his concern was to ensure their safety, protect their rights as congressmen, and to show that no congressman is above the law.
"I was able to ensure their honorable and dignified treatment while in Congress," he said.
Another advantage of them being in his custody, he added, is that the five are able to exercise their duties as congressmen as they are able to attend sessions.
If in case, however, they are turned over to the police, de Venecia said their absence would not affect Congress as a whole as there are only six of them being investigated for rebellion. The sixth is Anakpawis party-list Representative Crispin Beltran, who is being detained in Camp Crame.
When asked if the six party-list congressmen would continue to receive their salaries and office funds even if they would be imprisoned, de Venecia said he would consult House's legal department about it. (Sun.Star Pangasinan/Sunnex)
(March 20, 2006 issue)
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2 of 20 rebels, soldier slain in clash