Enrile rejects reconciliation with Santiago

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.. JUNNY ROY/SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President  Juan Ponce-Enrile rejected on Thursday the  idea of reconciling with Senator  Miriam Defensor-Santiago, saying it is difficult to  talk to people with “lunar minds.”

“Ayoko nang batiin yung ayaw sa akin e. Mahirap makipag-usap sa mga lunar minds,”  Enrile said in a radio interview, when asked  if he was ready to  patch  things up with Santiago.

(I no longer want to patch things up with those who don’t like me. It’s difficult to talk to people with lunar minds.)

And his tirade against Santiago went on.

This time, Enrile blasted Santiago for the latter’s alleged  absences in the Senate  in  almost half  of the session days  last year.

This was the reason, he said, he did not give  Santiago an additional P1.6 million MOOE (maintenance and other operating expenses) in December, 2012.

Santiago was among the four senators who only received the first tranche (P600,000)  of the  total P2.2 million additional MOOE released to all 23 senators in November last year.

“Hindi na sila binigyan. Binigay  ko na lang sa mga nagtatrabaho  na senador,”  Enrile said of the four senators who did not get the P1.6 million balance.

(They were not given the amount anymore. I gave it to the Senate workers.)

“ Si Miriam, hindi uma-attend sa caucus namin yan e. If you check the  records…e baka kalahati ng session days e wala sya run. Maliban na lang kung gusto niyang magpasikat. Noong impeachment trial nandun palagi,” he added, referring to the impeachment trial of  ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona.

(Miriam no longer attends our caucus. If you check the  records…she was absent half of the session days. She shows up only when she wants to brag. During the impeachment trial she was always present.)

Aside from Santiago, the three senators who did not get the P1.6 million fund were Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Senators Pia Cayetano and  Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV.