Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Sen. JV Ejercito. Albert Calvelo / Senate PRIB

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Senate Ethics Committee Chair JV Ejercito disputed accusations that he has been sitting on ethics cases against his colleagues, after a citizen filed an ethics complaint against him for precisely that reason.</p><p>Ejercito explained he could not act on any complaints since the Senate itself has not formally created the panel.</p><p>&quot;The Committee on Ethics and Privileges cannot yet hold meetings at this time or conduct hearings since its membership has yet to be formally manifested during plenary session,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said there has been no time to formalize the membership of the committee because the Senate had been busy with budget hearings and &quot;there was no chance really for...the composition of the ethics committee to be read in plenary, which is a requirement for it to be constituted.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/22/ejercito-senate-ethics-panel-to-tackle-complaints-once-fully-constituted-1902">Ejercito: Senate ethics panel to tackle complaints once fully constituted<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;MINORITY MUST NOMINATE ITS MEMBERS&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>He said the committee can hold meetings and hearings once the minority bloc nominates its members and the full list is read on the Senate floor.</p><p>The majority bloc has named Sens. Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan and Erwin Tulfo to the panel.</p><p>Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano are also on the committee because of their leadership positions at the Senate.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yun pong kulang na lang natin is Sen. Joel Villanueva for minority and one more. So I&#x27;m hoping that the minority can send us already their nominee for the Ethics Committee,&quot; Ejercito said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FRIENDSHIP WITH ESCUDERO NOT A FACTOR<br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>He also denied that his friendship with Sen. Francis&quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero,<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/2/escudero-faces-ethics-complaint-at-senate-2025"> a respondent in one ethics complaint</a>, has anything to do with the panel&#x27;s supposed inaction.</p><p>&quot;There are already four or five complaints in the Ethics Committee. Pang-apat &#x27;yong kay Senator Chiz. Hindi naman pwedeng dahil gusto mong unahin yung sa&#x27;yo na complaint, eh unahin.&quot;</p><p>Ejercito said he doesn&#x27;t know how he would handle the ethics case against him, but said he could inhibit from hearings on that.</p><p>&quot;But I don&#x27;t think there&#x27;s really grounds for it,&quot; he said of the complaint, adding a vice chair could preside over hearings on that.</p><p>Ejercito said it will be up to the committee to decide on possible penalties for ethics cases.</p><p>Under the Constitution, lawmakers may be expelled or suspended by their colleagues upon a 2/3 vote. <strong>— RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></p>

<p>Senate Ethics Committee Chair JV Ejercito disputed accusations that he has been sitting on ethics cases against his colleagues, after a citizen filed an ethics complaint against him for precisely that reason.</p>

Senate Ethics Committee Chair JV Ejercito disputed accusations that he has been sitting on ethics cases against his colleagues, after a citizen filed an ethics complaint against him for precisely that reason.

'Committee still incomplete': Ejercito denies sitting on ethics complaints

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'Committee still incomplete': Ejercito denies sitting on ethics complaints

ABS-CBN News

Published January 23, 2026 04:57 PM PHT

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