Miriam wants probe on Enrile's role in Cagayan port operations

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday called for an investigation on the role of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in the operations of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Free Port (CSEZ). In a statement, Santiago said she is working on a Senate resolution seeking an inquiry into the “contumacious” operation of the CSEZ, specifically its defiance of a Supreme Court banning the importation of vehicles. “The Senate needs to investigate why everyone in the Philippines is prohibited from [importing] vehicles except the entity created and protected by Enrile. What makes him so special?” she said. Enrile had authored Republic Act 7922, which created the CSEZ. GMA News Online was still trying to reach Enrile's camp for their comment as of posting time. Santiago explained that Enrile was the "prime mover" behind the CSEZ who even claimed that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's ban on the importation of used vehicles was unconstitutional. “And with constant hubris, he also sharply criticized the Supreme Court for upholding the ban,” she said. Santiago said Enrile’s "actuations... seek to bolster the culture of impunity,” or exemption from punishment.   In a January 2013 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of an executive order imposing a partial ban on the importation of used cars. Executive Order No. 156 was issued by Arroyo during her incumbency to deter smuggling and “accelerate the sound development of the motor vehicle industry in the Philippines.” The high tribunal ruled that vehicles imported from abroad “may only be stored, used or traded, or exported out of Philippine territory, but cannot be imported into the Philippines outside of the secured fenced-in former Subic Naval Base area.”   However, the CESZ reportedly refused to abide by the ruling.   “It is absurd for the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) to claim that it could still import used vehicles for permits prior to the decision of the Supreme Court last January 7. CEZA has no authority to process import permits whether issued prior to the decision of the Court last January 7 or thereafter, since the Court already upheld the constitutionality of E.O. No. 156 as early as 2006,” said Santiago.   Aside from this investigation, Santiago had also called for an investigation on the veracity of Enrile's memoir. Enrile welcomed this, saying the details in his book are well-documented. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News