PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 2, 2013 – United Nationalist
Alliance senatorial candidate Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile has this one fervent
wish: that his father, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and the latter’s nemesis,
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago would end their bitter word war, kiss and make up
and be friends just like the old times.
“I
hope both sides will stop their personal attacks and look back at the times
they worked together. That they would remember their harmonious relationship
for the sake of the country,” he said at a press conference here following a
provincial sortie.
The
younger Enrile graced a gathering of women at Plaza Concepcion here on the invitation of
businesswoman Rianne Cuevas.
The
word war between Enrile and Santiago
broke out over the additional P2.2 million in maintenance and other operating
expenses (MOEE) that Enrile gave 18 senators last Christmas.
Santiago
and three other senators – Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter cayetano, Pia
Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV – got only P600,000 each
Congressman
Enrile said he holds no grudges against Santiago
in spite of her tirades against his father who, he recalled have spent quite a
good time with Santiago
as friends. He said that during the lady senator’s silver wedding anniversary,
he even represented his father in the event.
Short
of saying the Senate President be spared from scathing criticisms, the younger
Enrile said his father is an elderly statesman who is already 84 years old and
has served the nation for 50 years already.
“I think he has
served well yet this late stage in his political career, it seems he is being
targeted,” he said.
He said though
that his father understands the game of politics and is very much capable of
answering the allegations against him.
The younger
Enrile, who graced a pro-women event here said he would gladly accept the title
of “Honorary Woman of the Senate” if he gets elected in May.
The titular role
once belonged to the late former senator Raul Roco owing to his advocacy of
women’s causes during his Senate stint.
Enrile said that
as a father of two daughters, issues involving women are closest to his heart.
He said women
should be treated equally with men who at times they even beat in certain fields,
including politics. (Manny Galvez)
No comments:
Post a Comment