Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Juan Ponce Enrile. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said he is keeping his doors open to a reconciliation with former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, whom he had a bitter exchange of words over the alleged misused of Senate funds.
Cayetano is reportedly the next Majority Floor Leader when Congress opens on July 22 while Enrile is expected to become the next Minority Leader.
Cayetano said he had once apologized to Enrile over their opposing stands on the controversial Reproductive Health and sin tax measures and is now willing to do it again at a proper time.
Because at this point, he said, Enrile was still hurting over his son’s, former Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile, defeat in the last senatorial election.
“It’s easier for us to say that we’re reaching out because we were victorious during the last election. Pero siya (Enrile) kitang-kita sa speech nya na may hurt pa so bigyan din natin ng time to heal that. Kasi kung somobra naman pagre-reach out namin lalo pang mapasama sa kanila (But it’s very obvious in his speech that he’s still hurting so let’s give him time to heal. If we try to reach out too much, it might not also be good),” Cayetano said during a press conference on Friday.
The senator was re-elected in the last midterm election.
“That means, the doors are open for any reconciliation,” he said.
Asked if he was willing to make the first move, Cayetano said yes.
A word war between Cayetano and Enrile erupted over the latter’s alleged unfair distribution of additional maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOEs) last year.
Cayetano was among the four senators who had not allegedly received the additional millions of funds from Enrile’s office.
The three others were Senators Pia Cayetano, Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.