Senate cell ‘fit for a colonel’

being treated nicely in his detention room. We cannot complain,” Dino said.

The Senate Sergeant at Arms, however, on Tuesday barred non-family members from visiting Faeldon.

“We gave him note pads. I told him, ‘Better write your memoir.’ He was re-reading Gandhi books. I told him, ‘Sir, I cannot leave you here.’ He told me, ‘Attorney, you don’t know me. He said, ‘I can take care of myself,’” Dino said.

No affidavit

Faeldon will not submit even a Ribbon Committee to explain his side, as he does not want to participate in any way in the probe, Dino said.

“That would be still part of the proceedings. We are impugning the very proceedings of which Captain Faeldon is being made to appear. If you file a judicial yourself to the jurisdiction and the processes of the Blue Ribbon Committee,” Dino said.

In his Facebook page on Monday, Faeldon posted a video message reiterating his reason for not attending any congressional inquiries.

“I am questioning the conduct of the senators and the congressmen during the congressional or Senate hearings, in aid of legislation. Under the rules they have set themselves above the law because they can do, they can say whatever they want, even to the point of maligning, condemning, crucifying innocent resource person, thereby, violating the basic constitutionally guaranteed rights of innocent citi- zens of this country,” Faeldon said.

“That’s why under these circumstances the senators and congressmen have set themselves above the law. Common sense, it says this is wrong. So, let’s put a stop to this that’s why I opted to be detained. This is a sign of protest,” he said.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, said Faeldon’s continued refusal to cooperate with the probe on smuggling was his “own lookout.”

“I can only tell them that they should not defy the contempt order. There is no reason for him not to appear, except that he is concerned about some senators,” he told reporters by phone.