Roque pursues ethics raps vs fellow Kabayan solon

FILE: Harry Roque (Photo: Harry Roque/Facebook)

MANILA — Newly-appointed Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday manifested to the House Ethics Committee his intent to pursue the seven ethics complaints he filed against fellow Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo.

Roque, through his legal counsels, said in his manifestation that after due processes and deliberations, the panel could sanction Salo by voting for his expulsion from the House of Representatives and, further recommend to the plenary “his expulsion from its august halls.”

“Unmistakably, Respondent’s [Salo] unlawful acts against the Complainant [Roque] were committed when Complainant was still a member of the House of Representatives. Hence, even if the Complainant has already ceased to be a Party-List Representative, this does not negate the fact that the [Salo] had violated the House of Representatives’ best traditions of parliamentary conduct and is unfit to remain as a member in good standing of this august body,” Roque said in his manifestation.

“Thus, by his wanton, shameless and contumacious acts that taint the integrity of the parliamentary proceedings of the House of Representatives of the 17th Congress, the Respondent deserves to be expelled from its halls and dropped from its rolls,” Roque added.

Roque also belied Salo’s claims that the ethics complaints have been rendered moot and academic by his assumption into office as the new Presidential Spokesperson.

He said that Salo’s “unbecoming conduct” continues to “damage [Roque’s] good name and reputation as his lies continue to be repeated in media.”

Roque previously filed seven ethics complaint against Salo earlier this year for multiple violations of the House of Representatives Code of Conduct.

On August 1, 2017, the Ethics Committee chaired by AGRI Party-list Rep. Delphine Lee found the first six complaints sufficient in form and substance.