MANILA, Philippines?She challenged her foes to vaporize her if they wanted to. Then, with a threat to resign her seat, she even staged a walkout.

In the end, she got her way.

A furious Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Monday stalked out of the Senate session hall after accusing some of her colleagues of trying to oust her and her economic affairs committee as the lead investigator of a case involving the blacklisting by the World Bank of three Filipino construction firms for alleged corruption.

?Let me serve notice that if I continue to be treated without the respect that I am entitled to as a coequal senator, even only because of my age and experience, I shall be compelled to tender my resignation as senator of the Philippines, and to bring this issue directly to the Filipino people,? Santiago fumed.

Santiago?s committee had been scheduled to hold a public hearing on Tuesday on whether three Filipino contractors blacklisted by the World Bank might have bribed certain public officials or engaged in criminal conduct, such as collusion in bidding for projects.

The contractors?E.C. De Luna Construction, Cavite Ideal Construction, and CM Pancho Construction?were blacklisted by the World Bank earlier this month for allegedly engaging in corrupt and fraudulent practices in connection with World Bank-financed projects.

Santiago resented what she said were moves to replace her committee as lead investigator of the case.

?If my critics wish to vaporize or neutralize me, that is their impossible dream. But it is a different matter if my own colleagues wish to turn me into a monkey who sees nothing, hears nothing, and says nothing,? Santiago said.

?I cannot remain in the Senate and consent to be emasculated. Hence, I express in the strongest terms my disgust at this transparent attempt to play puerile power games with me. I do not think that the public will be thrilled ... to watch senators fighting for turf, as if the territory of corruption were not extensive enough in this corrupt country,? she said.

After her speech, Santiago refused to take any questions from her colleagues and left.

Enrile?s ruling

Asked by reporters if the contractors were colluding with some of her colleagues, Santiago quipped, ?Ano pa, nabili nga nila ang House, Senado pa? (What else, they already bought the House, what more the Senate?)?

On Monday evening, Santiago went back on her threat to resign.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer got a text message from Santiago?s media relations officer, which said: ?Media Update: Santiago will preside over the economic affairs hearing on the World Bank contractors tomorrow, 10 a.m. at the Laurel Room. Pls come.?

At the session hall, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile ruled in Santiago?s favor.

?Let the matter be taken up and disposed of by the committee on economic affairs of the Senate,? Enrile said.

?Should there be any reason to involve the jurisdictions of other committees on matters that are not covered by the investigations to be conducted by the economic affairs committee, then the proper committees of the Senate may take over and deal with those matters not taken up in the inquiry of the economic affairs committee.?

Major cartel

Santiago last week questioned a move of Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the former majority leader, to transfer the inquiry from her committee to the public works committee chaired by Cavite?s Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. or the blue ribbon committee chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon.

The scandal broke out after the World Bank earlier this month announced it had uncovered a major cartel involving three Filipino and four Chinese firms allegedly involved ?in collusive practices.?

The four foreign firms were China Road and Bridge Corp., China State Construction Corp., China Wu Yi Co. Ltd. and China Geo-Engineering Corp.

All seven were bidding on contracts under Phase 1 of the Philippines? National Roads Improvement and Management Program, known as NRIMP 1, which the World Bank had earlier agreed to fund.

The World Bank had said no funds from the project were disbursed to the firms in question. It said it had stopped about $33 million from being awarded.

In her privilege speech, Santiago defended the right of her committee to have a crack at the case on the strength of what she said were four previous resolutions making the economic affairs panel the primary committee.

?Is the influence of the contractors so strong that they can now determine who shall investigate them? Am I disqualified because I happen to be the only former RTC judge in the present Senate? I feel like Julius Caesar, after he was stabbed by Cassius,? she said.

Saying she had proven her credentials to fight ?crooks in government at any time, at any place,? she added: ?This bloodsport is extremely distasteful to me. If my fellow senators don?t like my style in presiding at public hearings on scandals, that is their problem.?