Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrileand Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile said he was ready to be called “Satan” or a “devil” by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is expected to deliver a privilege speech on Wednesday.
In fact, Enrile said he would attend the session to listen to Santiago’s speech but would not confront his nemesis.
“Let go of the personal attack. That’s okay. What should not be said however is that ‘Yolanda’ is my fault, or I crucified Jesus Christ in Golgotha or that I shot Jose Rizal,” he told reporters Tuesday in Filipino.
“Ok lang yun, tatawagin nya akong demonyo, tawagin nya akong barumbado, tawagin nya akong sinungalin, tawagin nya akong Satanas ok lang yun,” he said.
(It’s ok if she calls me a devil, a war freak, a liar, Satan. That’s ok)
Asked if he would confront Santiago on the floor, Enrile said: “Hindi. Takot ako e. Mahirap na baka mabaril pa ako.” (No. I’m afraid. I might get shot.)
But Enrile insinuated that he was open to any possible reconciliation with his enemies.
“Ako kung babatin ako ng tao, babatiin ko rin. Kung yayakapin ako, yayakapin ko rin,” he said.
(As far as I’m concerned, if a person will greet me, I will greet him back. If a person embraces me, I will embrace him back.)
Related Story:
Santiago is set to strafe Enrile anew