Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Monday that he would put the reported cash gift from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile “under quarantine” for the meantime until the issue is clarified.
“It will be under quarantine for the meantime because there is a controversy,” Pimentel told reporters in a press conference.
“If the clamor is strong to return it, then I will have something to return,” he said.
Enrile had reportedly given P1.6 million to 22 senators as maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) December last year.
Four senators who are known critics of Enrile – Miriam Defensor Santiago, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV – had received only P250,000.
The money was said to have been realigned from the Senate budget’s savings but Enrile’s gifts drew the ire of many people who thought these were bribes and improper use of taxpayer’s money.
Pimentel however said that he does not see it as bribery because nothing was asked from him in return for the money.
“I don’t think there was any expected action or reaction from the so called gifts from the Senate President,” Pimentel said.
“First off, I did not know about the gift. The mere fact that it was not made known that there was a gift, nothing was expected in return,” he said. “There is no bribery there.”
When asked why the MOOE came only at the end of the year during the Christmas season, Pimentel said that the actual savings throughout the entire year could only be calculated during December so that was the only time that it could be distributed.
He also added that it was Enrile’s judgement call on whether the savings should be returned to the government treasury or be realigned as MOOE and distributed to the senators.
“If he decided to return it to the treasury, we cannot complain,” Pimentel said.
When asked what he could possibly spend it for, Pimentel said he would use it to help the Pablo-stricken areas in Mindanao.