MANILA, Philippines – It’s always a circus whenever Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is in the Senate, Senator Sergio Osmeña III said on Wednesday.
Osmeña made the statement when sought to react to Santiago’s warning that Janet Lim-Napoles’ appearance in the Senate next week might turn into a political “circus.”
“Ano’ng ibig sabihin niya na magkakaroon ng political circus? (What does she mean there will be a circus?) Every time she’s here, it’s always a circus, anyway. I don’t know what she means by that,” Osmeña told reporters.
“She would deliver a speech, and she would blow her top, that’s a political circus to me. So, I don’t know what she means by political circus,” he added.
Santiago has been on sick leave due to chronic fatigue syndrome.
Osmeña defended the Senate’s decision to summon Napoles on November 7 to testify on the alleged P10-billion “pork barrel” scam involving some senators and congressmen.
“It is a valid exercise of the Senate prerogative to investigate matters that have been in violation of various criminal laws, exercising the jurisdiction of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee. If she calls that a political circus, that’s very sad to hear that,” Osmeña added.
But Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the scam, reiterated that he would not allow the committee to turn into a circus.
“There are rules on decorum. Dapat masunod iyon (This should be obeyed),” Guingona said in a separate interview.
“We have to follow the rules. Rules are rules and they have to be allowed. Decorum is decorum and due courtesy given to individuals have to be followed including the rights of people appearing before the blue ribbon. They have the rights that have to be respected. That is non-negotiable,” he added.
Related Stories:
Santiago says Napoles hearing a circus
Santiago can’t wait to grill Napoles over ‘pork’
Santiago says Filipinos want to spit at senators
Santiago to deal with pork scam before going to The Hague
Santiago: Where’s ‘daang matuwid’? Even GPS can’t locate it