Press Release
February 13, 2012

Explanation of his vote against the TRO issued by the Supreme Court on disclosure of Chief Justice Corona's dollar deposits

And this is my explanation. We, the graduates of the Philippine Military Academy, are not taught to be saints. We don't even pretend to be one, and we don't even pretend to be self-righteous. But when faced with the dilemma involving our work as public servants, we have been trained to always seek the moral high ground.

The issue we face is not a constitutional crisis, but a moral crisis. On one hand, the Supreme Court, which through their TRO (temporary restraining order), threw the concept of judicial restraint out of the window and intervened in the affairs of the Senate as an impeachment court to protect and cover up for one of their own. On the other hand, the Senate, which is merely performing their mandate, is clearly defined by the Constitution.

To the ordinary Filipino, the choice is very clear. The Senate should not be party to any policy that would provide sanctuary to alleged lawbreakers. Moreover, as a former soldier, I was taught to disobey unlawful orders. This TRO, in my uncomplicated mind, that of a soldier, is an unlawful order. With that Mr. President, while I respect the decision of the majority, I firmly believe that the Senate missed the opportunity to stand on a moral high ground in this issue.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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