The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — The law school classmates of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano from the Ateneo de Manila University have called on him to “pause and reflect” on his actions at the chamber last week. In a statement by 25 of his batchmates on Sunday, the group said the Senate went beyond its powers over the change of leadership and the standoff that involved the alleged escape of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa. “In our current situation, the Senate has clearly gone beyond its powers, abrogated powers reserved for the two other departments and, by doing so, disturbed the balance of these three co-equal branches of government. Furthermore, it has unilaterally decided to disobey the lawful request of the Ombudsman despite receipt of a valid subpoena,” Cayetano’s batchmates said. “Regrettably, at the helm of this crisis is a member of the Ateneo Law Class of 1997. We, therefore, appeal to our batchmate, Senate President Alan P. Cayetano, to remember what we were taught in Ateneo and to adhere to our oath as lawyers and officers of the court,” they added. Cayetano’s batchmates urged him to be “mindful of the law and the decisions of the Supreme Court and avoid interpretations for convenience and accommodation.” “We urge the Senate President to carefully study his own case of Pangilinan vs Cayetano (G.R. No. 238875) as the pronouncements therein belie the credibility of his dispositions and decisions as Senate President on the ICC (International Criminal Court) controversy,” they wrote. “Recognize the limited applicability of parliamentary immunity against arrest as not extending to those with penalties beyond six years. Its act of giving refuge to Senator dela Rosa was, in reality, a criminal offense of harboring a fugitive from justice dressed up with convoluted legal jargon to make it appear like the supposed tradition of ‘protective custody’. Please note that the term is made up of two words and that the latter word ‘custody’ means that you are responsible to produce the person under your ‘protection’ when so required by the Executive or the Judiciary — a responsibility that has been conveniently overlooked by the Senate President especially now that the fugitive senator is nowhere to be found,” they added. Cayetano was also urged to “honor the constitutional provision that the Ombudsman can suspend any public official and request the Senate ‘for assistance and information necessary for the discharge of its responsibilities’ by turning over to the former all CCTV recordings for a proper determination of the alleged ‘attack’ on the Senate.” “Every Ateneo lawyer should live by the guidance of our alma mater and our patron, St. Thomas More: to be men and women for others while being the servant of God above all else. We urge the Senate President to pause and reflect on the law and be reminded of the counsel of Justice Pompeyo Diaz to all Ateneo law graduates to be true acolytes of the law with a passion for truth and justice,” Cayetano’s batchmates said. Over the weekend, rival groups in the University of the Philippines (UP), the SAMASA and Nagkaisang Tugon, called on the Senate President’s resignation because of a “grave failure of leadership, judgment, and institutional responsibility.”
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