At this very moment, it is not easy to be Senator Leila de Lima.
On Mon, Sep 19, 16 senators voted to declare the chairmanship and membership of the Senate committee on justice and human rights vacant. The committee had been headed by De Lima, who had initiated a probe on the rise of the extra-judicial killings in the country.
De Lima is a known critic of the Duterte administration.
The following senators voted to oust De Lima as chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights:
1. Sen. Sonny Angara
2. Sen. Nancy Binay
3. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
4. Sen. JV Ejercito
5. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
6. Sen. Richard Gordon
7. Sen. Gringo Honasan
8. Sen. Loren Legarda
9. Sen. Manny Pacquiao
10. Sen. Koko Pimentel
11. Sen. Grace Poe
12. Sen. Cynthia Villar
13. Sen. Joel Villanueva
14. Sen. Tito Sotto
15. Sen. Ping Lacson
16. Sen. Migz Zubiri
The following senators objected to the move to oust De Lima:
1. Sen. Franklin Drilon
2. Sen. Risa Hontiveros
3. Sen. Francis Pangilinan
4. Sen. Bam Aquino
The following senators either abstained or did not participate:
1. Sen. Ralph Recto
2. Sen. Chiz Escudero (absent)
3. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
De Lima remains a member of the justice committee together with Gordon as the new head and Lacson as new committee vice chairman. Her fellow members are Pacquiao, Poe, Pangilinan, and Cayetano.
Meanwhile, as The Philippine Star reported, “Malacañang denied any hand in De Lima’s ouster, with Presidential Communications Office chief Martin Andanar saying that Congress ‘is a separate branch of government so we leave things to its leadership.’
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