Miriam: Drilon accuser could be held in contempt

CONTEMPT. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago claims former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada could be held in contempt for wasting the time of Senate. Rappler file photo

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago claims that former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada could be held in contempt for failure to prove that Senator Franklin Drilon is behind the alleged overpriced Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) project.

In a youth leadership forum on Friday, November 14, Santiago called Mejorada's appearance in Thursday's Senate probe on the alleged overpriced project a "big dud" after admitting he has no physical evidence to prove that Drilon is behind it.

"That person should either be held in contempt, or be warned that if he continues his behavior, he should be held in contempt for wasting the time of the Senate," Santiago said.

Mejorada filed in October criminal and administrative charges against Drilon before the Office of the Ombudsman, claiming that the P679.8-million ($15.20 million)* ICC is overpriced.

But when asked to appear in the Senate and present evidence to back his allegation, he said he had nothing to show. He was even criticized for citing Wikipedia and gossips as sources for his allegation.

"This is not arithmetic where 2 and 2 will make 4. This is politics, where you have to apply the rule of law," Santiago said.

The senator, however, said the probe will continue, as former Iloilo representative Augustus Syjuco will soon testify as witness for the prosecution.

In a news report, Santiago said it was Syjuco who asked her help for him to be invited in the Senate probe.

Drilon denied that he caused the project to be overpriced, and claimed that the government even gained P521 million from it. – Rappler.com