Prof. Hilbay: Immunity from suit for Hontiveros’ Senate speech (CNNPhilippines.com)

“No Member shall be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.”

In an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source, on 11 Oct. 2017, Professor Florin Hilbay commented on the impropriety of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre’s filing of a complaint in an office under his own Department, against a sitting Senator of the Philippines. Referring to Aguirre’s wiretapping charge against Senator Riza Hontiveros, the former Solicitor General argued that the proper venue for such complaint was the Senate Ethics Committee.

He further drew attention to Article VI, Section 11 of the Constitution which provides that: No Senator or Member of the House of Representatives “shall be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.”

The full story can be accessed at http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/10/11/Florin-Hilbay-Risa-Hontiveros-immune-from-suit-Aguirre.html