Camille urges respect for absent senators

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Camille Villar teared up as she rebuked Sen. Erwin Tulfo for citing the plunder charges against their detained colleagues during a debate on the conviction threshold yesterday.

Taking exception to Tulfo’s remarks, Villar appealed to the chamber to maintain decorum and extend courtesy to the absent lawmakers, emphasizing that none of them have been proven guilty in court.

The Villars are facing charges for graft, insider trading and market manipulation, among others. Some of their Senate allies are in jail for plunder or hiding from police.

“We owe our absent colleagues some respect because they haven’t been proven guilty of the charges,” Villar manifested.

“They are not plunderers. They are not thieves,” she claimed.

Tulfo apologized for any offense caused by his remarks but clarified that he explicitly used the phrase “charged with,” rather than calling them convicted criminals.

Four senators are currently unable to participate in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte – two are detained, one is in hiding and another on medical leave abroad.

Sen. Mark Villar backed his sister’s call for civility, urging the tribunal to be mindful of the impact of their words on their peers.