SEN PIMENTEL
Senate majority ‘worse than halo-halo’
By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:30:00 11/18/2008
Filed Under: Politics, Congress
MANILA, Philippines -- The new Senate majority is “worse than halo-halo” (a traditional Philippine dessert made of shaved ice) because it is composed of lawmakers with different persuasions and personalities, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said on Tuesday.
The mix, Pimentel said, made him doubt the majority would survive for long.
“It’s worse than halo-halo because it might spoil before its due [time],” Pimentel said.
“You cant store it, let’s say, for three or four days…because it’s a mixture of different persuasions and personalities and, probably, ideological directions,” he said.
On the other hand, detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has decided to stick with the minority bloc.
“I respect and abide by the majority decision that has conferred the Senate presidency to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile,” Trillanes said in a statement on Tuesday. “However, to clarify my position, I would have voted for minority leader, Senator Aquilino Pimentel [Jr.]. Thus, I continue to remain with the minority and the opposition.”
Because newly-installed Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is identified with Malacañang, Pimentel also raised concerns the administration will now revive efforts to amend the Constitution.
Pimentel vowed to oppose any move by the Palace to ride on a resolution he has filed proposing a shift to a federal form of government from the president presidential system.
However, Senators Panfilo Lacson and Juan Miguel Zubiri gave assurances that Charter change is not in the Senate agenda under Enrile.
“Mas marami kaming ayaw ng Cha-cha [Charter change] so hindi pwede matuloy ang Cha-cha [There are more of us against Cha-cha so Cha-cha cannot prosper],” said Lacson.
Trillanes, for his part, expressed hope Enrile would strive to maintain the independence and integrity of the chamber as a co-equal branch of government.
“To Senator Enrile’s credit, historically, he has shown that he can be a maverick and I only hope that this particular character of his would prevail over traditional politics as he leads the Senate,” Trillanes, who is detained while being tried on charges of plotting to topple the government, said.
“Regardless, I continue to fulfill my duty as a legislator despite the restrictive circumstances I am facing,” he said.
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