Trillanes responds to Zubiri on BI senate probe
Trillanes: I was accused of rebellion, I'm proud of it.
Posted by Trending.ph on Tuesday, January 17, 2017
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The heated discussion was ceased when Senate President Pimentel called for a suspension of the session. The senators then moved to the senate lounge for a closed-door meeting.
Pimentel reminded the two that offensive words are regarded as “unparliamentary” language in accordance with the Senate rules. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto then moved that the “unpleasant” words uttered by Trillanes and Zubiri be stricken off of the Senate record.
Zubiri and Gordon said on Monday that the latter’s Blue Ribbon Committee and Committee on Justice and Human Rights are far more suitable committees to tackle the issue.
Sen. Migz Zubiri challenges Sen. Trillanes to a fight
Sen. Migz Zubiri challenges Sen. Trillanes to a fight at senate hearing on Bureau of Immigration scandal.
Posted by Trending.ph on Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Trillanes answered back and said, “If there’s an action, there is a counter-reaction. That’s what happened when they blocked the referral to my committee. Therefore, you should expect me to react on the matter. He took offense of the fact; it was meant to be offensive”.
On January 17, Tuesday, Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Antonio Trillanes IV almost traded blows at the Senate session hall.
It all began when Trillanes accused Zubiri and Senator Richard Gordon of the BI scam probe “whitewashing” in a televised interview, following the Senate voting 14-7 that stripped Trillanes of the power to probe BI corruption issues, including proposals to reorganize it.
At the session hall on Tuesday, Zubiri delivered a privilege speech attacking Trillanes for accusing that he’s out to whitewash the probe.
“I am not privy to any whitewash. I will make a motion today as a member of the blue ribbon that Sen. Gordon immediately hear the bribery scandal case and I will actively attend,” Zubiri explained.
Even so, Trillanes did not back down and took the floor. This time, bringing up the 2007 senatorial race in which Zubiri allegedly won due to cheating.
Trillanes’ allegation of a whitewash and his “cheater” tag hit Zubiri’s nerves. This prompted a confrontation between the two senators that could have erupted into a physical fight had their fellow senators not intervened. Zubiri also added that he did not cheat in the senatorial election and said other individuals cheated for him.