MANILA, Philippines – What made Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago so mad that she walked out of a hearing of the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday?
“I resent being embarrassed in front of my own committee and in front of nominees who have come here in Barong Tagalog,” Santiago said at a press conference after she walked out of the hearing of the committee on foreign affairs.
Adding fuel to the fire, Santiago said, was the fact that she, a cancer patient and chairperson of the committee, was made to wait by her members. Only she and Farinas were present when the hearing started at 11a.m.
She noted that from the original 10 a.m. schedule, she moved the hearing to 11 a.m. because she could not come early to the Senate.
“Ni reset ko, isang congressman lang ang present as you notice. Tapos iniinsist nya (Farinas) na tapos mag-quorum. Ibig mong sabihin, pahintayin ko lahat ng nominees na yun hanggang sa dumating ang mga ito?” the senator asked.
(I reset it. There is only one congressman present as you noticed. And then he will insist that there should be a quorum. You mean that I will ask all the nominees to wait until everyone arrives?)
“Ako chairman paaantayin ng aking members?” she said.
(I’m the chairman and my members will make me wait?)
“I’m always punctual, not as a personal eccentricity but because I hate to make the public wait.”
“I’m suffering from self-inflicted stress. Na-i-stress kasi ako pag hindi ako punctual e. Nahihiya ako sa publiko,” Santiago said.
(I’m stressed when I’m not punctual. I’m embarrassed to the public.)
She was also hoping that since she has cancer, the members of the committee would be considerate of her condition, the same consideration they give to other sick members.
“I’m facing death in the face. I have told you death is a very beautiful experience so I’m no longer pulling my punches. pag mali-mali, pag corrupt-corrupt,” Santiago said.
“I dare anybody with ulterior motives to come forward in public office to claim this and that because I will no longer be mollified or appeased. I just tell the truth as I see it,” she further said.
Originally posted at 04:49 pm | September 10, 2014
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