‘Miriam Santiago dedicated life to serving PH’

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez on Thursday offered his condolences to the family of former Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whom he called a feisty defender of the country’s sovereignty.

“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago,” Alvarez said in a statement.

Santiago’s husband Narciso “Jun” Santiago told the Inquirer that his wife passed away 8:52 a.m. at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, where she had been taken in and out for complications of cancer.

READ: Miriam Defensor-Santiago passes away at 71

“With her passing we lost one of the country’s most vocal and feisty defender of our nation’s sovereignty and national interest, as well as one of the most feared campaigner against corruption in government,” he added.

When she was a senator, Santiago opposed the military agreements with the United States—the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Alvarez said lawmakers would miss Santiago’s sharp tongue against corrupt officials, and her wit that earned her a good following from the youth.

“We would also miss not only her trademark colourful language that stung foes and chastised incompetent officials, but also for her cutting intelligence and wit that endeared her to a horde of youthful followers,” Alvarez said.

“We will forever be grateful to Senator Santiago for dedicating her life to the service of our nation,” he added.

For his part, minority floor leader Danny Suarez said it would be difficult to find another lawmaker to surpass Santiago, whom he called a pillar of the legislature.

READ: Solons offer condolences to family of Miriam Defensor-Santiago

“We lost a pillar in the Senate … Looking at her performance on the background of how she performed during all these years, it may be difficult to find somebody that can somewhat duplicate what she has done,” Suarez said over the phone.

“A good reformist and a fiscalizer and somebody who did not take advantage of her position. Loyal and dedicated as a public servant,” the Quezon representative added.

Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo, who is also deputy speaker, called the late senator an “epitome of courage, brilliance, eloquence, dedication to public service and commitment to good governance.”

“The Philippines has lost a truly outstanding and irreplaceable leader in Senator Miriam! I extend my deepest sympathies to Atty. Jun Santiago, their children and their whole family. She will be truly missed,” Arroyo said.

Batangas Representative and Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu called Santiago “a remarkable parliamentarian” known for her wit and humor while Marikina Representative and Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo said she was a “giant cultural icon.”

“She will be remembered not only for being an unparalleled legislator but for her meteoric personality, her acerbic wit and deep intolerance for the stupid. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she managed to capture the idolatry of people from all ages specially the young,” Quimbo said.

Quimbo added that if the queen of all typhoons was Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” “politics has Miriam.”

Former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., a Quezon City representative, said “Philippine politics will not be the same without the staunch and feisty Miriam.”

Belmonte said he had maintained a “cordial relationship” with Santiago, adding he was godfather to her son who passed away earlier.

“We will miss her intelligence, wit and vast legal expertise which she has shared as university professor and earned for the country the distinction of being the first Asian elected judge to the International Criminal Court,” Belmonte said.

Santiago ran but lost in the May 2016 presidential elections with her running mate then Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. She entered the race despite battling stage four lung cancer. IDL/RC