Miriam lodges Senate ethics raps vs Enrile for ‘disorderly behavior’

The rift between Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Defensor Santiago is far from over.

On Monday, Santiago formally lodged an ethics complaint against Enrile for the latter's supposed "disorderly behavior."

 

Santiago sent a letter-complaint to Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano asking the Senate ethics committee to investigate what she dsecribed as "objectionable parts" of Enrile's speech two weeks ago.

 

Santiago cited Section 97 of the Senate Rules empowering the Senate committee on ethics and privileges to punish any senator for disorderly behavior, with the approval of two-thirds of its members.

 

Santiago also sent a separate letter to Senate President Franklin Drilon asking him to immediately organize the Senate ethics committee.

 

Last week, Drilon refused to comment on why the Senate ethics panel has not yet been convened until now. He instead called for a truce between Enrile and Santiago.

 

Two weeks ago, Enrile delivered a privilege speech where he hit his "obsessive hater" –apparently referring to Santiago – for her "depraved mind" and her purportedly low grade on the ethics portion of the Bar exams.
 

In response, Santiago delivered a strongly-worded speech last week where she accused Enrile of various crimes, including smuggling, gambling, illegal logging and even adultery.
 

On Thursday, Santiago formally asked the Department of Justice to investigate Enrile's hand in these alleged crimes.

Some senators, however, criticized Santiago's speech for being unparliamentary, and even expressed intention to move for the deletion of her and Enrile's statements from Senate records. 

 

But in her letter to Cayetano, Santiago said she was "merely exercising (her) right to reply." She also cited a Supreme Court ruling describing self-defense as "man's inborn right." — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News