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Ian Alfredo Magno

FOR starters, it appeared to put flesh – plenty of it in fact – to the local slang “basta drayber swit laber!”  Rumor has it that copies of the leaked sex video involving a lady senator and her cohort este, escort driver are surreptitiously circulating in the market and are being sold cheap in pirated DVD stalls.  It is legit, some say, especially those who survived the ordeal of checking out such an enormously prurient sight – out of curiosity perhaps.

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Legit, so it seems, that the Lower House had to summon key personalities, mostly cohorts este, escorts of the lady senator. Of course, “in aid of legislation.”

Gossiped to be the one swinging in the video, controversial drayber Dayan is reportedly still in hiding with 20 of his fierce fighting cocks. In his absence during the congressional hearing, a certain Joenel Sanchez squared off with inmate Jaybee Sebastian. Who is this Joenel?  Interestingly, this is the guy who would put a sort of teleserye twist to this already boring plot.  As the investigation lagged, Jaybee suddenly pitched a fastball, which could have sent Dayan burying his teary-eyed face deep in his throw pillow, heart-broken.

Apparently, this Joenel was among the security escorts detailed to the lady senator, then Secretary of Justice. He has been tagged as the bagman and the one receiving drug payola, allegedly on behalf of the secretary during their stint in the department. Now the belated punchline: Joenel was allegedly a lover too of the lady senator–and that “Sweetie” was their expression of endearment. Truly, when it rains it pours, wise men say.

As if an unadorned term of endearment is enough to prove some libido-provoking conspiracy?

Verily, oftentimes, typical ladies (especially the elderly type, sort of) tend to be cariñosa, and would sometimes refer to staff as “dear,” “anak,” “langga” or “sweetie”–with no veiled malice at all. There seems to be nothing wrong about the expression. However, here’s the catch, to call one as “sweetie” while holding hands, with occasional smacking on the front lips is reminiscent of the Juday and Piolo sugary love affair.  Admittedly, it sends an unusual signal.

But, of course, Joenel denied being called as such. Hence when interrogated during the congressional hearing, which went thus, “kunwari tawagin ka ni Secretary Delima, ‘Joenel, hoy!’ ganun?” Joenel answered “Hindi Sir.”  Asked again “Ano?”  He answered with a softened, sort of bedroom voice and eyes one-fourth closed, saying “Jonehlll…”

And the entire congressional body burst into hilarious laughter, again.  So again, the chairman had to make that “call to order.”

Item 3, Section 16, Article VI Legislative Department of the 1987 Constitution holds: “Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member. A penalty of suspension, when imposed, shall not exceed sixty days.”

The provision was adopted almost verbatim in Section 97, Rule XXXIV Unparliamentary Acts and Language of the Rules of the Senate, thus: “Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the Senate may punish any Member for disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire membership, suspend or expel a Member.  A penalty of suspension shall not exceed sixty (60) calendar days.”

In the case of Alejandrino vs. Quezon G.R. No. 22041 dated Sept. 11, 1924, the Supreme Court held that: “We rule that neither the Philippine Legislature nor a branch thereof can be directly controlled in the exercise of their legislative powers by any judicial process.”

Indeed, Sen. Leila de Lima’s removal from the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Justice was unprecedented. Meanwhile, whether or not the allegations against the lady senator are meritorious as to warrant an unprecedented removal of a senator twice in different capacities, at the end of the day, is up to the esteemed wisdom of the standing Senate.

(Att. Ian Alfredo T. Magno is an associate at Atty. Francis U. Ku & Associates, and is deputy legal officer at Philhealth.)

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