Pia Cayetano faces ethics complaint over spliced Diokno video

Several women’s rights advocates, academics, and feminists on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against Senator Pia Cayetano for allegedly posting a spliced video of Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno during the impeachment trial. The complainants are asking the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate and impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions against Cayetano for allegedly posting the misleading video while serving as a senator-judge in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. “We believe the Senate Ethics Committee should probe Cayetano’s posting of the spliced video during an impeachment trial process. We believe it is not proper conduct, especially of a senator-judge serving in an ongoing impeachment trial,” Juanna Caumeran of Everywoman told reporters. “We believe the Senate Ethics Committee should investigate and impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions against Cayetano on her actions,” Caumeran added. GMA News has reached out to Cayetano for comment. According to the complainants, Cayetano's actions violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) and breached the constitutional oath of senator-judges to render "impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws of the Philippines." They also said Cayetano undermined public confidence in the neutrality expected of the impeachment court and risked eroding trust in both the Senate and the impeachment process when she reposted the video. The complainants are former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Patricia "Tatti" Licuanan, University of the Philippines-Diliman professor Jean Franco, who is also Co-Convenor of Everywoman, Maria Cristy Balleras, Jocelyn Gerldino, Janette Balanguit and Estrella Soriana of the Parents Initiative and Social Awareness Mainstreaming Advocacy (PINASAMA), Hammimah Sarip Kalaw of the Sanctuary Network, Joahna Marie Dela Cruz, Student Council President of the Pamantasan Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)-College of Public Administration, Edrianna Villaruz of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), Joanna Marie Caumeran of Everywoman, Oliva Solis of the District Wide Advocates Quezon City (DIWA), abd Lourdes Magtibay of the Pandayan Para sa Sosyalistang Pilipinas (PANDAYAN).