MANILA - Senator Antonio Trillanes on Monday said senators who claimed there was material concealment in the kidnapping case against Senate witness Edgar Matobato were too proud to admit that they committed a mistake.
Senator Richard Gordon accused Senator Leila de Lima of hiding the fact that Senate witness Edgar Matobato has a standing kidnapping charge.
Gordon, who chairs the Senate committee on justice and human rights, claimed that De Lima concealed Matobato's kidnapping charge.
Matobato was tagged in the abduction of alleged terrorist Sali Makdum filed by his common-law wife.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is vice chair of the committee, joined Gordon in grilling De Lima about the alleged material concealment.
De Lima said she did not do it on purpose.
"I only noticed it kani-kanina lang po when I was reviewing my notes," De Lima said.
However, Senator Antonio Trillanes pointed out that Matobato has stated on record during his previous testimony that there was a kidnapping case filed against him.
"They already made a judgment that Senator De Lima concealed some information. But when we reviewed the transcripts, twice it was mentioned by Mr,. Matobato that he had a case filed against him for the Sali Makdum abduction," Trillanes told ANC in a phone interview.
"They realized that they got the accusations all wrong and they were too proud to admit it," he added.
Trillanes said the senators started to rant about minor things when they realized that they were wrong.
"When they got faced by the truth that there was no material concealment, they started splitting hairs and nitpick," Trillanes said.
In a statement released by De Lima after walking out of the Senate hearing, the former Justice chief maintained that there was no material concealment since Matobato admitted being tagged in a kidnapping charge.
"As early as Sept. 15 hearing, Senate witness Mr. Edgar Matobato admitted that a kidnapping with ransom case was filed to him by the NBI on the murder of Sali Makdum," De Lima said.
"No material concealment of facts was done," she said.
Trillanes, who maintained that De Lima did not commit any material concealment, said that truth shall come out regardless of the decision of the committee.
"Regardless of the decision of the committee, of the members, the truth will always have its way of coming out. And it will," Trillanes said.
SOURCE: ABS-CBN
Gordon, who chairs the Senate committee on justice and human rights, claimed that De Lima concealed Matobato's kidnapping charge.
Matobato was tagged in the abduction of alleged terrorist Sali Makdum filed by his common-law wife.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is vice chair of the committee, joined Gordon in grilling De Lima about the alleged material concealment.
De Lima said she did not do it on purpose.
"I only noticed it kani-kanina lang po when I was reviewing my notes," De Lima said.
However, Senator Antonio Trillanes pointed out that Matobato has stated on record during his previous testimony that there was a kidnapping case filed against him.
"They already made a judgment that Senator De Lima concealed some information. But when we reviewed the transcripts, twice it was mentioned by Mr,. Matobato that he had a case filed against him for the Sali Makdum abduction," Trillanes told ANC in a phone interview.
"They realized that they got the accusations all wrong and they were too proud to admit it," he added.
Trillanes said the senators started to rant about minor things when they realized that they were wrong.
"When they got faced by the truth that there was no material concealment, they started splitting hairs and nitpick," Trillanes said.
In a statement released by De Lima after walking out of the Senate hearing, the former Justice chief maintained that there was no material concealment since Matobato admitted being tagged in a kidnapping charge.
"As early as Sept. 15 hearing, Senate witness Mr. Edgar Matobato admitted that a kidnapping with ransom case was filed to him by the NBI on the murder of Sali Makdum," De Lima said.
"No material concealment of facts was done," she said.
Trillanes, who maintained that De Lima did not commit any material concealment, said that truth shall come out regardless of the decision of the committee.
"Regardless of the decision of the committee, of the members, the truth will always have its way of coming out. And it will," Trillanes said.
SOURCE: ABS-CBN
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