Santiago, Enrile were not enemies decades ago

Decades ago, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Defensor-Santiago were not the bitter enemies they are now.

 

GMA News "24 Oras" Wednesday evening recalled that in 1969 Enrile hired Santiago to work for him when he was justice department secretary. 

 

Two years later, Enrile was godfather when she got married in 1971. 

 

During the impeachment trial of deposed president Joseph Estrada, Santiago and Enrile were on the same side when they voted not to open the envelope that was said to contain damning evidence against Estrada.

 

Their falling out became public when Enrile was not at the 40th wedding anniversary of Santiago in June 2011.

 

In December 2012, Enrile returned Santiago's Christmas gift bought from Iloilo city.

 

"I was shocked right out of my skin because in the Philippines, it's like throwing your glove and slapping somebody's face with it," Santiago had said in an interview.

 

But for Enrile, he was just keeping his distance from Santiago who has publicly announced his dislike to Enrile. 

 

"She said that her relationship with me is ice-cold... So I said to myself, maybe she doesn't really like me as a person. So why should I impose myself on her?" Enrile had said.

 

Their political differences also showed in legislation - they bickered during the deliberations of the Reproductive Health law. Santiago was co-author while Enrile opposed it.

 

In January, Enrile reportedly gave millions of additional budget to senators except his foes, including Santiago.

 

In his latest privilege speech, Enrile revealed that their fight apparently had deeper roots.

 

Enrile cited two events that may explain Santiago's "deep-seated animosity against me" - when Enrile opposed Santiago's appointment as agrarian reform secretary during the Cory administration, and when he refused to invite her in the majority bloc in 2008 and 2010. 

 

For Santiago, Enrile's anger toward her started when she as Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge in 1985 decided that Martial Law does not automatically cancel the right to bail of activist students who were ordered arrested by Enrile.

 

Weeks ago, Santiago alleged that Enrile was the mastermind of the Moro National Liberation Front incursion to Zamboanga city. The  MNLF operation supposedly a tactic to divert public attention away from his alleged involvement in the pork scam. 

 

In her latest privilege speech, Santiago accused Enrile of being involved in smuggling and gambling activities through the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

 

Santiago said Enrile and some of his relatives illegally brought into the country used cars through Port Irene in Cagayan province. She added that Enrile is also guilty of lobbying for more government funds for the CEZA to finance his “smuggling empire.”

 

Santiago also criticized Enrile for authorizing online gambling at the CEZA outside the jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

 

Enrile has denied all accusations and in retort cast doubt on Santiago's mental state.

 

“Our colleague only confirmed everything I said about her mental health and her propensity to make unfounded accusations,” Enrile said.  — MC/ELR, GMA News