Santiago jokes about being left out of impeachment backroom talks

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. FILE PHOTO/SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago jokingly described herself as being sad, alone and in serious doubt about her sex appeal when asked how she felt about not being approached to vote for either the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“Probably they were worried that I might create a scandal so they just ignored me,” said the 67-year-old senator in Filipino when asked if she was talked to by either pro- or anti-Corona parties prior to the historic impeachment vote on May 30.

“Nobody, not even one talked to me.  It upsets me. I’m feeling sad and alone. I never realized that my sex appeal had waned.  Or maybe they got scared because eskandalosa ako (I create scandal)? Probably they worried about getting into trouble so they just scratched me out,” the feisty senator quipped.

The Senate sitting as an impeachment court voted 20-3 to convict Corona for failure to disclose $2.4 million and P80.7 million in bank deposits in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). Santiago had voted to acquit.

Santiago then posited a question: What exactly took place in the meeting among seven senators in an exclusive Makati village on the eve of the closing arguments in the historic trial?

Santiago was reacting to Sen. Loren Legarda’s revelation that the seven senators met at her home to ponder Corona’s guilt or innocence.

She noted that all seven, including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Tito Sotto, Gregorio Honasan, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Manuel Villar, all voted to convict Corona.