Censure, Discipline, Suspend, or otherwise Expel Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV

To: THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Petition to Censure, Discipline, Suspend, or otherwise Expel
Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV from the Philippine Senate

Whereas, Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Philippines declares that [p]ublic office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives;

Whereas, Article IX, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Philippines states that[a]ll public officers and employees shall take an oath or affirmation to uphold and defend this Constitution;

Whereas, Article VI, Section 16 (3) of the Constitution of the Philippines provides that [e]ach 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;

Whereas, Rule X, Section 13 (2) of the Rules of the Senate confers the duties, powers and general jurisdiction over all matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate and its Members upon the Committee on Ethics and Privileges;

Whereas, Rule XXXIV of the Rules of the Senate, on Unparliamentary Acts and Language, provides the following:

SEC. 93. Acts and language which offend a Senator or any public institution shall be deemed unparliamentary.

SEC. 94. No Senator, under any circumstances, shall use offensive or improper language against another Senator or against any public institution.

SEC. 95. When a Senator, by word or deed, violates any Rule of the Senate, the President, motu proprio or at the instance of
another Senator, may call him to order. The Senator concerned shall immediately take his seat if he happens to have the floor; and, in case the point of order raised has been sustained by the President or Presiding Officer, said Senator shall not continue speaking without the consent of the Senate. The motion permitting the Senator concerned to continue speaking shall be resolved without debate.

SEC. 96. When a Senator is called to order for using unparliamentary language, any other Senator may ask that the objectionable words be read for the information and decision of the Senate.

SEC. 97. 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.

Whereas, Rule XLV, Section 124 of the Rules of the Senate provides that [t]he petitions and memorials of private persons shall be considered by the Senate only when clearly and duly signed by their authors;

Whereas, on the eve of Bonifacio Day, in direct contempt of court and in brazen defiance of the rule of law, Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV walked out of ongoing court proceedings;

Whereas, Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV, participated, associated, and conspired with a group organized with the end in view of removing Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from the Presidency and undertake the formation of a new government;

Whereas, Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV, et al. marched to the Peninsula Manila in an effort to rally public support for their cause, resulting in a six-hour standoff with government forces, damage to property, and deplorable detriment to the public;

Whereas, Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IVs words and actions has brought great shame and disrepute upon the dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate, as well as the country, and its people;

In view of the foregoing premises, and in light of the events in connection with and as a consequence of the acts of Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV, et. al, on the eve of Bonifacio Day--

We, the undersigned concerned citizens of the Philippines, hereby denounce Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IVs affront to our courts, public institutions, and the rule of law, and call upon the members of the Senate of the Philippines and its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to discipline, punish, censure, suspend, or otherwise expel Sen. Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV from the Philippine Senate.

Respectfully submitted. 1 December 2007.