Santiago, Legarda absent on first day of Corona impeach trial

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Senator Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Loren Legarda were absent on Monday at the start of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial.

In a letter to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Santiago said hypertension and spells of dizziness, headache and nausea prevented her from attending the session.

She promised to participate in the trial “as soon as my hypertension subsides.”

Legarda’s office, on the other hand, said the senator was taking care of Felicidad Bagayas, 78, her nursemaid  whom she calls  “Nanay.”

Bagayas, who stays with the senator until now, was reported to be recuperating from surgery for colon cancer at the hospital in Stanford University in the United States.

Legarda submitted a letter to the Senate saying she would be away until Thursday. Cathy C. Yamsuan, PDI and Maila Ager, INQUIRER.net

Originally posted: 12:08 pm | Monday, January 16th, 2012