Calida no sacred cow — senator

Even if he ran to the Supreme Court (SC) for an injunction, Solicitor General Jose Calida is not immune from legislative inquiries, opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said yesterday.

Trillanes issued the statement after Calida and his family petitioned the SC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) for the Senate to stop its inquiry into alleged conflict of interest stemming from the security service contracts between several government agencies and their family-owned Vigilant Investigative and Security Agency.

“Let me remind Mr. Calida that he is not a sacred cow. He does not have any immunity from any legislative inquiry. Thus, his petition for TRO has no legal basis,” Trillanes said.

“Mark me, no matter where he hides, Mr. Calida’s corrupt practices will soon be exposed. Tuloy ang imbestigasyon (On with the investigation),” he said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee, and the committee on civil service, government reorganization and professional regulation, chaired by Trillanes, were supposed to conduct their first hearing last Thursday but it was cancelled.

The inquiry was prompted by Senate Resolution 760, filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon along with other members of the opposition bloc Senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Leila de Lima and Trillanes.

Drilon last Thursday said generally, the SC, “on the principle of respect to a co-equal branch and the principle of separation of powers between the three branches of government, will refrain from interfering in the work of Congress, unless there is a clear showing of grave abuse of discretion.”