Senate: No need for mediation over Enrile-Santiago row

Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –  Senators see no need for  the leadership to mediate between colleagues’ Miriam Defensor-Santiago and  Juan Ponce Enrile, who are expected to face each other this Wednesday at the Senate.

Santiago  will deliver a privilege speech on the floor when the upper chamber resumes its session this afternoon  to answer  Enrile’s  attack  against her last week. Enrile said he would attend the session to listen to Santiago.

Asked if there was a need for mediation,  Senate Pro Tempore Ralph  Recto said: “(There is) no need for anyone to mediate. I don’t think it will prolong.

“It’s  their  individual  lookout,” Recto  said in a text message when asked  how this mudslinging would affect the image of the chamber.

Senator  Vicente “Tito” Sotto III,  who  belongs with Enrile’s  opposition bloc in the Senate, issued a similar  statement.

“Malalaki na sila,” Sotto said in a separate  text message. “There were worse exchanges in the past. (We) will get over it.”

Despite the  mudslinging, neophyte Senator Grace Poe expressed  confidence  that the chamber   would still be able to perform  its  work.

“I am hopeful  that whatever personal issues there may be between them, the Senate would continue to work on all current tasks at hand as an institution,”  Poe said.