Low blows by Miriam Defensor-Santiago against Senator Ping Lacson

I am saddened upon reading newspaper reports of a Senator lashing back at her colleague after the colleague threatened to file charges of misappropriate conduct against her.

I don't know what's going in the minds of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who, from her sickbed, rose and lambasted her fellow Senator Panfilo Ping Lacson. Earlier, Lacson exposed how Miriam Defensor Santiago reportedly charged the expenses and salaries of her personal staff, even her maid, to the Senate. Lacson also revealed that the Lady Senator gets monthly rentals from a building which she reportedly owns and that she charges rent from the Senate. Meaning, Defensor-Santiago is reportedly getting a lot of cash from the public.

Instead of directing answering or countering Lacson's charges, Defensor-Santiago resorted to name calling and threatening to spill Lacson's "dirty linen" in public, even his so-called "true sexuality".

I don't think there is a connexion between Senator Lacson's sexuality with that of Senator Santiago's alleged immoral practice of charging the salary of her maid to the Senate. So what if Senator Lacson is gay, will it erase or is it an equivalent of Senator Santiago's practice of getting the salaries of her maid from our taxes.

Our Senators are really destroying the image and reputation of their own institution.They have allowed themselves to snicker and holler, throw mud around and practically engage in low blows just to hide their indiscretions.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago insane? You must be out of your mind Atty. Pangcoga!

Is insanity one of the grounds for disqualifying someone aspiring for a senatorial post? I checked my 1987 Constitution and no where do I find sanity as part of the pre-election qualifications for a senator:

Sec. 3, Article VI. No person shall be a Senator unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and, on the day of the elections, is at least thirty-five years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the elections"

Under the Omnibus Election Code, let us check the grounds for disqualification:

Section 12 of the BP 881 or the Omnibus Election Code which provides as follows:



Sec. 12. Disqualifications. – Any person who has been declared by competent authority insane or incompetent, or has been sentenced by final judgment for subversion, insurrection, rebellion or for any offense for which he has been sentenced to a penalty of more than eighteen (18) months, or for a crime involving moral turpitude, shall be disqualified to be a candidate and to hold any office, unless he has been given plenary pardon, or granted amnesty.

So, there, a candidate can only be disqualified if rendered insane or incompetent by a "competent authority," meaning, declared clinically insane by a doctor or the National Mental Hospital.
 
Why am I talking about this now? Because a Palace hack filed a disqualification case against Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on the grounds of "insanity".
 
The lawyer, a Muslim by the name of Nombraan Pangcoga, director of the Philippine Muslim Affairs, charged Santiago of insanity and asked another lawyer Atty. Bonifacio Alentajan to file the disqualification case, well beyond the reglamentary period for filing such a case before the Supreme Court.
 
Seemed that the one insane is this Pangcoga, who probably filed the case just to lick the behind of a Cabinet member out to discredit the good senator. Any lawyer would know that the case will not stick in court, unless, of course, there is a document that they could present showing a doctor declaring Santiago, "insane" or "incompetent".
 
Pangcoga should also know that even if there are evidence showing graft and corruption against Santiago, she should first be charged and declared guilty by final judgment, meaning by the Supreme Court, before anyone could actually file a disqualification case, citing as grounds a case of graft.
 
Tsk,tsk,tsk. Seemed like this ass-licker by the name of Pangcoga is heading to the gallows. And Alentajan too for consenting to file such a nebulous case against Santiago. The PR man who made this yarn is also responsible and will probably get himself shot by his bosses anytime soon.
 
Senator Santiago, for all her faults, is a brilliant lawyer. She is the most eloquent among the Senators. Sometimes she speaks her mind louder than the others but Santiago is definitely not insane.
 
This is not the way to discredit somebody like Santiago who already distanced herself from the Arroyo administration.
 
Now, here's the catch---is there a "silent prodding" or is there a "blanket authority" given by somebody high up there to publicly discredit and malign the reputation of Senator Santiago? As they say, these Cabinet members do not act independently from Mrs. Arroyo.

he disqualifications to be a candidate herein provided shall be dee

Miriam to run for president

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago says that she'll run for president if she does'nt land a post at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). She was quoted during a lull in the presidential entourage in Washington DC.

"I'll just put fear in the hearts of my enemies, if I decide to run as president," says the feisy former QC judge who was elected under a platform of good governance and an anti-corruption stance.

Are you threatening us? Surely, the ICJ is not as masochistic as some of us Filipinos. If we can tolerate characters such as you because we simply don't have a choice, then, it's different with other countries.

Well, Miriam, it will not be your enemies who'll be afraid of your candidacy. It is the whole goddamned country whom you have been terrorizing since you became a legislator.

Yes, Miriam, like Gloria, you're living in your own fantasy world (Gloria's world is her version of Enchanted Kingdom). You're the Snow Queen who thinks everybody have pea brains and you're the only genius.

The very idea of Miriam running for president makes one seek refuge, even in loony bins. If Miriam do become president, inside Mandaluyong seems more live-able than outside its walls.

If Miriam becomes president, the AFP should get ready. They should quickly modernize their stuff because chances are, we'll find ourselves going to war with China. Or Russia. Or Malaysia. Or even Singapore.

And if indeed the good senator becomes president, let us free those living in asylums. That way, Miriam can definitely say, I'm the Snow Queen of Enchanted Kingdom.

Dramatic Ending on Ces Kidnapping Caper?

PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. is reportedly in Zamboanga City right now. He's monitoring the situation. There's a lot of buzz that, within the next few days, Ces and her TV crew will be "rescued", courtesy of the PNP. And for what?

For Razon's "senatorial" campaign? Since the start of the year, there are talks that Razon is being primed as a senatorial bet come 2010. I have nothing against Sonny Razon. In fact, he's one of those "nice" guys I would love to see debating against the likes of Lito Lapid who, incidentally celebrated this day as his first day when a bill of his was passed into law (Mark this day--17 June 2008 as the day when Lito Lapid became a legislator). Or, it would amuse us even further to see Razon debating against the erudite Miriam, probably even daring Miriam to go jump over that fabled bridge in Sta. Ana Manila.

Seriously, there's something brewing out there and I think that within the next few days, we will see Razon escorting a tired and stressed out Ces to be presented in Malacanan. Ces has become hot property right now, thanks to a "silent" media. Despite legitimate appeals from Malacanang and Teresita Ang-See, journalists still scrambled to go to Sulu and Zamboanga to cover Ces' kidnapping.

I am sure that within the next few days, Ces, his cameraman and Prof. Dimampo will be released by their young captors. Like those before her, Ces will be hauled immediately to Zamboanga to board a plane for Manila. There, like the rest of the kidnapped victims under this administration, they'll be presented to the president for that precious photo op.

And surely, Razon, the would-be senator, will be there.

Will we see Mayor Isnaji also in Malacanan? Possibly. Or that Vice Governor becoming governor through the funds of Malacanan? This kidnapping stunt added more pogi points for them. The more these things happen in their island, the more powerful these two will become.

Expect surprises, my friends.