Miriam Santiago walks out of CA hearing

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Miriam Santiago on Wednesday walked out of a hearing of the Commission on Appointments (CA) after sending a member of the media outside the hearing room.

Santiago, who was presiding over the hearing of the CA’s committee on foreign affairs, blew her top when Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Farinas questioned the absence of the quorum, which he said was required to recommend the confirmation of a nominee.

The hearing started at 11 a.m. with only Santiago and Fariñas present in the room.

“May I just make a clarification, is this a public hearing or is this the hearing of the committee proper? Because if it’s a public hearing, then we can proceed with the presence of the chairman and one other member but it if it’s a meeting recommending to plenary the appointments of these officials… we need majority of the members (of the committee),” Fariñas said.

“The chair understands otherwise. Will you please support your contention?” Santiago asked Fariñas.

Fariñas then cited a particular rule, saying that the majority of all the members of each committee should constitute a quorum.

And when Santiago said that the proceeding was a public hearing, Fariñas said: “That was my point. If it’s a public hearing then we can hear but we can’t recommend the appointments without a quorum.”

The congressman’s remark angered the senator.

“You mean to say that after this proceeding we will stay and have a meeting. E may motion na e (There’s already a motion),”she said.

“Kelangan po natin ng quorum (We need a quorum),”Fariñas insisted.

“You want us to stop?” an irked Santiago asked.

“We don’t have quorum ma’am. We can’t proceed,” the congressman insisted.

Santiago repeatedly insisted that her presence alone as head of the committee is considered a quorum.

“You have no power to tell me what my quorum is,” she said.

Santiago then moved to vote on Fariñas’ questioning of her hearing but Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who arrived later in the hearing, moved to suspend the proceeding.

But the lady senator was already standing ready to walk out of the room.

“You are questioning my authority, I will walk out of this meeting,” she said as she banged the gavel.

“Dapat noon pa ‘yan sa umpisa. Ngayon sisirain mong procedure na sinusunod noon pa (You should have done that earlier. Now, you will destroy the procedure that has been followed for a long time?)? Santiago added and banged the gavel for the last time before she walked out of the meeting.

Before this, Santiago chided a television cameraman after she was distracted while conducting the hearing.

“Who are you? Kausapin n’yo nga ‘yung taong ‘yun. ‘Wag kang naggagaganyan, nag-me-meeting kami e (Talk to that man. Don’t act that way, we are having a meeting),” she said.

“Lumabas ka nga (Get out)! Now!,” she said, “Will you make him go outside, and teach him manners and let him come in. Now!”

“This is a solemn activity of the third branch of the republic. Be careful with your behavior, not because of our personalities here, but because we represent the institution that holds up as one of the three pillars of our government,” Santiago added.

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