(Updated) Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile hit his colleagues in the Senate on Thursday for allegedly passing bills on the basis of “pakikiusap” (request).
Enrile gave a categorical no answer when asked during a weekly forum at the Senate if he was satisfied by the accomplishment of the chamber during the 16th Congress.
“No,” he said, “Well, you can see that the workings of the Senate is unlike the Senate that we’ve had. I think, I’m the only living or remaining senator that started from the opening of the Senate in 1987 so I can compare. None on of these present senators can compare themselves with the past.”
He also noted how his colleagues came up late on the floor, citing specifically the attendance of only seven senators when the chamber adjourned its session Wednesday night.
“We’re supposed to hold sessions at 3:00 o’clock. What time do we get together, at 3:30 at the earliest? And then after the roll call, no more senators,” Enrile said.
“What happened yesterday here, we finished at 7:30 [p.m.], how many senators were on the floor? The rests were gone, why? And yet we passed the bills on the basis of pakikiusap,” he further said.
Aside from him, the six other senators, who finished the session until it was adjourned Wednesday night, were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senators Pia Cayetano, Bam Aquino , Aqulino “Koko” Pimentel III, JV Ejercito, and Nancy Binay.
“I did not fiscalize anymore except when there was a very clear error of matters to be taken, especially when they contravened the Constitution, so I raise an issue even if I’m playing. I get bored, you know, when there’s nothing sensible being taken,” he said.
He said the Senate spent its time passing local bills such as changing the name of streets, barangays or hospitals.
“It has no national impact. We’ve not heard of any substantial legislation that protects the nation, that protects the people…” he further said.
Enrile said the Senate approved local bills only because of politics.
“Politics, in aid of elections,” he said.
Drilon earlier boasted the Senate’s accomplishment, passing close to 300 bills during the 16th Congress, more than a hundred of them were enacted into law.
READ: Almost 300 bills passed before Congress adjourned – Drilon