Ex-Senator Saguisag slams lawmakers for lame stance on martial law

Former Senator Rene Saguisag hit lawmakers on Thursday for acting like “echoes” of President Rodrigo Duterte, instead of “voices” of the people.

“Ano bang basis? Nasaan ang invasion? Taga saan ang invaders? Nasaan ang rebelyon? Kaya tama si Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, wala namang need to inflict (What’s the basis? Where’s the invasion? Where did the invaders come from? Where’s the rebellion? That is why Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is right, there’s no need to inflict),” Saguisag told Senate reporters when sought for comment on Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

The former senator was at the Senate for the necrological service for the late Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw.

“Eh ngayon naman etong Senate and House, eh ganun eh talagang they are not voices, they are echoes. Kung anong sasabihin ni Digong yes sir, yes sir,” he said.

(Now we have here the Senate and the House, that’s it, they are not voices, they are echoes. Whatever Digong says, they just respond yes sir, yes sir)

Former Senator Rene Saguisag. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Senate, voting 17-5, had approved a resolution supporting the martial law declaration in Mindanao. Voting 12-9, the chamber also junked the minority group’s bid for a joint session of Congress to deliberate on the declaration.

Asked if Congress had lost its chance to speak out on martial law after junking the proposed joint session, Saguisag said: “May Congress ba tayo? Puro tameme (Do we have a Congress? They’re all tight-lipped)

He said Congress should have called a joint session to put on record the lawmakers’ individual stand on martial law.

“At least formality, dahil history will look at what happened and each congressman, each senator should go on record on where they stand on it and give a legally tenable, intellectually respectable and psychologically and satisfying basis kung bakit ang position nila ay pro or anti (on why their position is pro or anti),” the former senator said.

Even neophyte Senator Manny Pacquiao did not escape Saguisag’s criticisms.

Saguisag noted that despite reports that the Maute terrorist group had slipped into Pacquiao’s home province, Sarangani, the boxer-turned-politician continued with his training.

“Kaya kitang kita mo sabi sa dyaryo may mga nakalusot na Maute sa Sarangani, e dapat naman yung congressman o senator from the place: I am cancelling my fight, I am going home to Sarangani to help my people…”

“Kaya kawawang bayan, kawawa mga anak at apo natin,” the former senator added.

(That’s why it is very obvious in the newspaper there had been Maute getting their way to Sarangani. It is fitting that the congressman or senator from the place: I am cancelling my flight, I am going home to Sarangani to help my people… I feel sorry for our country, our children and grandchildren) JPV/rga