Santiago to fellow senators Enrile, Lacson: Tit for tat

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago: Tit for tat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday said she intends to get back at fellow senators who snubbed her hearing over resigned Interior secretary Rico E. Puno Friday by not attending Senate sessions this week.

“Tit for tat. If they snub my hearing, I will snub their session,” Santiago said in a statement Monday.

She alleged that certain Senators were conspiring with cabinet officials in snubbing her hearing because they were “reading from the same playbook” when they raised the same issues on the legality of Santiago’s committee hearing.

“The Malacañang letter raises the issue of a lack of resolution passed by the plenary session. This is exactly the same issue raised by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Panfilo Lacson,” Santiago said, referring to the excuse letter of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

“I have already pointed out, for their education, that several provisions in the Senate rules concerning inquiries in aid of legislation strongly imply that there is no need for a formal resolution, if the committee has competent jurisdiction,” she said.

Santiago also said that Ochoa and Senators Enrile and Lacson pointed to the lack of questions that would be propounded to the invited cabinet officials.

“My opponents appear to be intellectually challenged. The requirement for prior submission of questions applies only to the Question Hour under the Constitution. It does not apply to the committee hearings,” she said.

Santiago reiterated that if the committee on appointments will hold a hearing on the nomination of incoming Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, she will attend only to cast a veto.

“If a Cabinet member who snubs my hearing is presented for confirmation this Wednesday, I will attend the confirmation hearing to cast a veto, to fulfill my promise that I shall veto all cabinet members who were invited but snubbed me,” she said.