Gordon, Trillanes fight over move to invite Dutertes to drug probe

TWO SENATORS got into a heated argument with one threatening to file an ethics complaint against another after the latter insisted on inviting presidential family members to a probe into a P6.4-billion shipment of shabu from China.

Senator Richard J. Gordon, who chairs the chamber’s Blue Ribbon panel, threatened fellow senator Antonio F. Trillanes with an ethics complaint after the latter insisted on inviting Davao Vice-Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte and Atty. Manases R. Carpio, husband of Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, to the investigation. These three are the son, son-in-law, and daughter of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

This developed after witness Mark Ruben G. Taguba II presented statements and text messages to committee members, claiming he met with a certain “Jack” and Davao Counsellor Nilo “Small” Abellera, Jr. on Jan. 16, in Davao to talk about possible arrangements with Vice-Mayor Duterte. Mr. Abellera is a known friend of the vice-mayor.

Mr. Gordon then questioned the validity of Mr. Taguba’s statements, saying that several details that he revealed were not in the affidavit that he submitted to the committee. Mr. Taguba was also unable to recall the restaurant that he supposed to have met Counsellor Abellera.

This prompted Mr. Trillanes to say that the committee seems a bit jittery and that its members seem to be badgering Mr. Taguba.

“Are you accusing the chair or Senator Sotto?” Mr. Gordon asked, referring to a fellow panel member, Senator Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III.

“You are fond of making general statements,” Mr. Gordon snapped. “You better prove it. This is the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines. This is not cockpit of chismis. We are here investigating real things. You are out of order!”

To which Mr. Trillanes said: “Nagiging committee de abswelto ang blue ribbon committee.” [The blue ribbon committee is turning into a committee to absolve the guilty.]

COUP LEADER, EX-SBMA EXEC TAKE ON ONE ANOTHER
Mr. Trillanes’ remark prompted Mr. Gordon to move for the former’s contempt.

“The trouble with this gentleman is that every time he doesn’t like it he conducts a coup. And then he will be forgiven and then he will conduct another coup and then he will (be) forgiven,” Mr. Gordon said, referring to Mr. Trillanes’ activities as a leader of several failed coup attempts.

In response, Mr. Trillanes said: “Hindi ho ikaw nagbarricade sa Subic just to hold on to your position. That’s even more pathetic, Mr. Chairman.” (Aren’t you the one who barricaded himself in Subic just to hold on to your position? That’s even more pathetic, Mr. Chairman). In the late nineties, Mr. Gordon barricaded himself inside his office, protected by his supporters, when then-President Joseph E. Estrada appointed Felicito Payumo to replace him as head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Mr. Sotto then stepped in and moved to suspend the hearing.

In an interview after the hearing, Mr. Trillanes said that though the involvement of Vice-Mayor Duterte and Atty. Carpio were not stated specifically, a connection can be made.

“Hindi specific pero pag-na-transact doon sa Davao group lahat ng container vans niya lumulusot,” he said. “Ito na nga, e di lumabas itong shabu.” (Though it’s not specific, every time there’s a transaction with the Davao group, the container vans were green-signaled.)

Furthermore, he said that it seems that Vice-Mayor Duterte and Atty. Carpio were being treated like “sacred cows.”

“Bakit may preferential treatment?” Mr. Trillanes said. (Why is there a preferential treatment?)

Mr. Trillanes also dared Mr. Gordon to file the ethics complaint against him, a challenge that the latter met head on. “Alam mo palaging nate-threaten ng ethics complaint itong si Senator Gordon pero ni isa wala. Sige i-file mo na,” he said. (You know, he always threatens to file ethics complaints. He should finally file one already.)

TRILLANES’ REMARKS BASED ON WHIM, CAPRICE
For his part, Mr. Gordon said that Mr. Trillanes’ remarks during the hearing were “based on whim, caprice and very, very arbitrary. People have been kicked out of the Senate and of the Congress for abusive language. When you abuse, you can be kicked out of the Senate.”

Mr. Gordon also maintained that the involvement of Vice- Mayor Duterte and Atty. Carpio is just hearsay.

Mr. Gordon said that he will submit on Monday his preliminary report on the investigation on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu that were able to pass through the Bureau of Customs in May of this year.

The hearing, which was suspended several times, resumed with Counsellor Nilo “Small” Abellera, Jr. facing the committee for the first time after being implicated by Mr. Taguba.

Mr. Abellera confirmed that he had indeed met with Mr. Taguba and a certain “Jack” whose surname he was unaware of. The meeting took place in a restaurant-bar called Casa de Amigo.

Mr. Abellera continued to deny ever receiving money from Mr. Taguba, who claimed that after the meeting, they proceeded to Mr. Abellera’s car to show him the P5-million “enrolment fee.” Mr. Taguba also said that they had met for the second time later that day to have drinks.

However, Mr. Gordon remains unconvinced about the claims of both parties. — Mario M. Banzon