The Senate ethics committee that is headed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson has junked the ethics complaint against Senators Richard Gordon and Manuel Villar, Jr.

Senate Majority Juan Miguel Zubiri said this is because the Supreme Court has ruled that Gordon, who is also chair of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), did not commit any conflict of interest.

In its ruling penned by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Gordon did not forfeit his seat in the Senate when he assumed chairmanship of the PNRC.

The high court has also ruled that the PNRC is a private institution that is merely performing a public function, and therefore, any individual, a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives can lead it.

It could be recalled that former congressman Dante Liban questioned Gordon’s chairmanship of the PNRC.

Zubiri also said the committee has also decided to junk the land-grabbing case against Villar that was filed against him by two civilians last September 25, 2008.

Lacson decided to junk the two cases that were filed by Gina Jarvina and Valentino Amador due to technicality.

But Lacson said the Committee of the Whole will push through with the resumption of its investigation into the C-5 road extension project case which involves Villar and his wife Rep. Cynthia Villar.

Meanwhile, the complaint of a businessman against Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid will be taken up by the committee on August 19, as well as the complaint by Ely Pamatong, a former nuisance presidential bet against Senators Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda and Manuel Roxas II.