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Senate defies Ombudsman on Joel Villanueva suspension

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MYZ6_y4xtGg" width="560"></iframe></figure>MANILA - Senators were united in defying the Ombudsman&#x27;s order to dismiss Senator Joel Villanueva.Not one senator opposed the motion by Senate Majority Floor Leader and Committee on Rules Chairman Vicente Sotto III to adopt the opinion of Senate Legal Counsel Atty. Maria Valentina Cruz.In a 15-page legal opinion released in November, Cruz had said the Ombudsman has no power to punish or evict from power any member of the Upper and Lower Houses of Congress per Section 21 of RA 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989.She added the Constitution and the Senate rules say only the Upper House has the power to suspend or dismiss from service any of its members after an investigation by the Ethics Committee.No ethics complaint has been filed against Villanueva.Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales in November ordered Villanueva&#x27;s <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/16/ombudsman-orders-dismissal-of-joel-villanueva">dismissal</a> after he and nine others were found liable for misuse of the former party-list representative&#x27;s 2008 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).Villanueva has maintained that he never pocketed a single centavo from his PDAF.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/16/jurisdiction-issue-hounds-villanueva-dismissal-order">READ: Jurisdiction issue hounds Villanueva dismissal order </a></li></ul>Senate President Koko Pimentel had earlier asserted the Ombudsman must act first on a motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by Villanueva before the Senate could act on the dismissal order against him.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/16/villanueva-on-dismissal-nakapanggagalit-nakapanglulumo">READ: Villanueva on dismissal: Nakapanggagalit, nakapanglulumo </a></li></ul><div>- report from Zandro Ochona, DZMM</div>

Senators were united in defying the Ombudsman's order to dismiss Senator Joel Villanueva.

Senators were united in defying the Ombudsman's order to dismiss Senator Joel Villanueva.