SENATE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
ON SMUGGLING RELEASES RAMIREZ

The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food today orders the release of Cesar Ramirez, a resource person in the investigation on smuggling cited for contempt and detained in the Senate.

The committee's Chairman, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, says that the members of the investigating committee agreed that Ramirez's profuse apologies as well as his explanation of being rattled at the queries thrown at him during the investigation have caused him to be inconsistent with his statements, are enough for the Senate to grant Ramirez his freedom from detention.

"We considered his supplemental statements very carefully, and after conferring with the Senate President we agreed to grant the motion of Ramirez's counsel to lift the Senate's citation of contempt. However, we issue a stern warning to Mr. Ramirez: We will not hesitate to cite him again for contempt and detain him should he fail to testify with straightforwardness and truth in the hearings. The penalties could be more severe the next time around."