(Eagle News) — Labor Undersecretary Jacinto Paras on Thursday, May 31, said he was considering filing charges against Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin.
Paras made the statement after Villarin urged his fellow lawmakers to ban Paras from the premises of the Lower House.
Villarin made the call after accusing Paras of stealing his cellphone within the House premises in March, allegedly to get information from the gadget that could be used against Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Paras has denied the allegations, saying he “must have lifted” Villarin’s phone inadvertently as he was in a hurry to move to another room to attend another hearing.
“Bakit ko naman nanakawin yung cellphone niya? (Isasangkalan) ko yung buong reputation ko at buhay para manakaw lang yung cellphone niya? Hindi ko alam na nadala ko yung cellphone niya. I have moved to another room. So probably I have left it there pagkatapos nung nagsalita ako doon,” he said.
According to Paras, Villarin “is the one who is indecent” as he “(uses) the plenary to deliver his so-called privilege speech to spread his lies and make malicious accusation against” him.
Paras said this was “cowardice.”
“Who is he to call for disallowing me from entering the House. I’ve been a three-termer congressman and I earned the good image of being decent and hard working,” he said.
He said in the first place, Villarin has “already filed a complaint for theft against me.”
“So why does he not wait for me to receive a copy of his complaint and let me answer it,” he said.
“That is why he is using the privilege speech as his political propaganda ahead of the dismissal of his complaint which has no basis in law. He cannot get the proper authority to rule in his favor because he is a big liar,” he added.
