Enrile chief of staff apologizes to Cayetano for ‘offensive’ remarks

Jessica “Gigi” Reyes

MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s Chief of Staff Attorney Jessica “Gigi” Reyes “profusely apologized” to Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for her “disrespectful and offensive” statements when she was interviewed over the radio last Monday.

“I profusely apologize to the Hon. Senator and Minority Floor leader Alan Peter Cayetano for my disrespectful and offensive statements and overbearing tenor as I was interviewed over the radio last Monday,” Reyes said in a statement issued Friday.

She said she has committed an act of disrespect when she addressed him only as “Alan” and not addressing him properly as an elected Senator.

“I do not mean this as an excuse for such unethical behaviour, but perhaps due to my long years of working in the Senate, almost all of 25 years, some of the younger Senators and I have come to call each other on a first-name basis. But that is when we are in private conversations,” Reyes said.

She also apologized for calling some senators “hypocrites” saying she was only driven by emotional state.

“The Senate President and I…were obviously aghast and scandalized at Sen. Cayetano’s allegations, apparently believing them to be the whole truth about the disposition of the Senate’s budget,” she said.

Reyes said she tendered her resignation on Wednesday.

“By its nature, the same need not await the Senate president’s acceptance and I have given instructions for my own copy to be filed with the Senate secretary, who I expect will immediately turn over the same to the Senate’s Human Resource and Management Service,” Reyes said. With a report from Norman Bordadora, Philippine Daily Inquirer