Enrile’s privilege speech on closing of Congress stirs speculations

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Speculations are rife about the content of the privilege speech Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is scheduled to deliver on Wednesday.

The chamber has two more session days—June 5 and 6—that some senators have described as “lame duck” before the 15th Congress ends.

By tradition, outgoing senators use the occasion to deliver valedictory speeches thanking the people and their supporters for allowing them to serve.

However, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III has released the agenda for June 5, wherein Enrile’s privilege speech is listed before the slew of legislative bills that are supposed to be passed on third reading.

Some insiders believe Enrile would use the occasion to give a piece of his mind about his expected exit from the Senate rostrum.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, campaign manager of the Team PNoy senatorial slate, is expected to replace Enrile at the opening of the 16th Congress in July.

There are also speculations that Enrile, one of the stalwarts of the United Nationalist Alliance, might deliver a commentary on the last senatorial election.

Drilon said time constraints could prevent the chamber from approving most of the pending bills.

This is because the bills could only become law after the Senate and the House of Representatives reconcile their versions of the measures, ratify them and submit them to Malacañang for the President’s signature.

Senators and congressmen can hold bicameral meetings only during session days. This means even if both chambers pass their versions of a pending bill on third reading on Wednesday or Thursday, they would no longer have time to hold bicameral meetings, much less ratify the reconciled versions in yet another session.

There are 10 Senate bills and 26 House bills awaiting approval on third reading. These include the controversial House bill carving a new province out of Camarines Sur.

“The purpose of approving a bill on third reading would not be achieved if there is no (bicameral) meeting,” Drilon said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

He said that because of constraints, the Senate would likely be able to ratify only the bicameral report “strengthening” the country’s juvenile justice system to be sponsored by Sen. Francis Escudero.