Enrile-Mamba discord blamed for vetoed bills

MANILA, Philippines – The seeming rift between  Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile and the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) has been cited as one of the reasons some measures passed by Congress ended up being vetoed by President Benigno Aquino.

Senator Franklin Drilon INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Franklin Drilon, who is poised to  succeed Enrile, pointed out the lack of coordination between the Senate leader and   PLLO chief Manuel Mamba because of politics in Cagayan.

“Aminin natin, noong nakaraan medyo hindi po nagkakasundo si Secretary Mamba at Senate President dahilan po sa pulitika sa [Cagayan] kaya po sa kadalasan kulang ang koordinasyon (Let’s admit it, Secretary Mamba and Senate President are not in good terms because of politics in Cagayan, that’s why sometimes there was lack of coordination),” he said in an interview over radio.

But more than this, the senator blamed the PLLO for lack of coordination and its failure to participate in committee hearings being  conducted by Congress.

Drilon said that instead of attending hearings, Cabinet members would only send their representatives to Congress, who could not commit and sometimes could not convey the  position of their respective offices.

So to ensure that a particular measure would not be vetoed by the President, Drilon said he had initiated talks with Malacañang officials to reach a “compromise.”