WHY I AM OUT OF THE LOOP

By Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago

I have decided to join the new majority, because it still partly consists of the administration bloc to which I belong. I have been absent and silent so far, because I am sick of diarrhea, which could be due to intestinal flu or my old amoebiasis.

I was clueless about the Senate coup. In my entire Senate career, the plotters never consulted me beforehand. Either I don’t count, or I am considered unapproachable.

Thus, when Sen. Enrile called me several times on the Sunday before the coup, I had no clue that he wished me to sign the coup resolution. I had intestinal flu, was in bed, and had requested my husband to field all my phone calls. To say that I was avoiding him is a misimpression. I do not avoid; I confront.

Immediately after the coup, Sen. Mar Roxas very kindly and gallantly invited me to join the majority. I had reservations, because I was ill and just could not deal with the unexpected development. But he was indefatigable on my behalf, and I thank him profusely.

In a jocular way, I was in a dilemma. At the start of this Congress, the Senate administration bloc allied itself with a sector of the opposition, to become part of the majority. At that time, administration senators were accused of sleeping with the enemy. Now, the administration bloc has again allied itself, but this time with a different sector of the opposition, to form the new majority. Hence, it might seem to critics that the administration bloc to which I belong has become a serial adulterer.

I caught a bad cold in New York , and brought it with me to Manila . Instead of resting, I immediately plunged into my Senate duties. Hence, at the Dela Paz hearing shown on TV, I had to stop presiding and leave, because of exhaustion from my deteriorating cold. I even cancelled at the last minute my scheduled trip to Peru with President Arroyo.

On the weekend prior to the coup, in addition to my cold, I succumbed to diarrhea. On my doctor’s advice, I took a course of antibiotics. But then I developed dizziness. And paradoxically, today when I had planned to report to the Senate, I find that my diarrhea has returned.

It is not true that I “demanded” certain committees. I had read that Sen. Enrile was calling for senators to express their committee preferences, and I complied with a brief letter. It is not true that I am feigning illness. My family physicians are Dr. Esperanza Cabral and her daughter Dr. Sandy Cabral Prodigalidad.

It is unfair and malicious to impute these and any other kind of negative actuations to me. I assure my critics that if I were not bedridden, I would educate them physically.

Breaking News

24 July 2006

MIRIAM ON SENATE REORG

The Senate is now dominated by a mutant majority. The core group of 13 who elected Villar as senate president is composed of both administration and opposition senators. Thus, the new Senate majority is an aberration at birth. If it were a car, it would be a hybrid. If it were a horse, it would be a piebald. Wonders never cease in politics. What we are seeing is the art of the political deal.

With Sen. Drilon stepping down, the Cory Aquino opposition group has lost its chief challenger to President Arroyo. As senate president, Drilon was third in succession.

As an ordinary senator, he is no longer even qualified to run for reelection in 2007. It might be the end of the presidential road for him and the Aquino group.

Drilon’s loss of the Senate presidency weakens the Drilon wing of the LP, and strengthens his rival. If Manila Mayor Lito Atienza runs for senator, the Atienza wing of the LP can only get stronger, and might even devour the Drilon wing.

With Sen. Villar as new Senate President, the Senate will have a rainbow coalition in the majority. Hence, the Senate majority will be toeing a precariously independent line. It is a motley mix of pro-Gloria and anti-Gloria senators.

The pro-Gloria senators in the majority are: Villar, Flavier, Arroyo, Recto, Lapid, Enrile, Revilla, and myself.

The anti-Gloria senators in the majority are: Pangilinan, Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Luisa Estrada, and Lim.

There are anti-Gloria senators who are outside Villar’s core group, but reportedly decided to support him after he had already sewn up the 13 votes required to win. They are hoping to retain or get major committee chairs. They are Sen. Magsaysay, Gordon, and Biazon.

At present, Villar trumps Sen. Roxas as the strongest potential presidential candidate for 2010. Villar will easily win reelection next year, and will be expanding the political base of the NP which he heads.

Further, Villar stands a good chance of being endorsed in 2010 by President Arroyo. Roxas hopes to lead the anti-Arroyo coalition. If it will be Villar versus Roxas, it will be new money versus old money; self-made entrepreneur versus the scion of the privileged elite. The 2010 elections will be a battle of the big bucks, and a candidate who does not have at least P5 billion need not apply.

In his first month in office, Villar will busy himself playing musical chairs with committee chairmanships. Pursuant to tradition, his core group of 13 senators will have first pick. The process calls for delicate diplomacy, but Manny’s middle name is “Patience.”

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