Damn your damdamin (Damn your ‘sentiments’)!
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday thus sharply rebuked Sen. Rodante Marcoleta for his insistence that the minority bloc protest Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s “shouting” at Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano during the arrest of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada last Monday.
Lacson said the minority bloc were already thankful that Remulla, who led police in serving an arrest warrant on Estrada for plunder and graft, did not punch Cayetano during the confrontation.
“So, kasalanan pa ng minority bloc na hindi nag-protesta dahil sinigawan ang Senate President natin? Actually, laking pasasalamat nga namin na hindi siya binigwasan ni Sec Jonvic dahil sa inasal niya kahapon. Damn your damdamin (So it’s our fault that we did not protest when Remulla raised his voice against the Senate President? Actually, we are thankful Remulla did not punch him because of his behavior. Damn your damdamin),” Lacson said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Lacson kay Marcoleta: Damn Your Damdamin!
Marcoleta, in a radio interview, had aired his sentiments that the minority bloc should have shown solidarity with Estrada as a colleague, and for Cayetano as Senate President.
He added the minority members should have protested Remulla raising his voice at Cayetano, because the Senate President “dapat igalang (must be respected).”
Cayetano tried but failed to prevent the arrest of Sen. Estrada, when police arrived to implement the Sandiganbayan’s arrest order against him.
Despite the confrontation with Cayetano, who claimed that then Senate President Jovito Salonga “protected” Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Remulla implemented the warrant.
Lacson also reiterated that standing up for the Senate’s independence should not place any senator – including Cayetano – above the law, adding dereliction of duty such as being absent from the Senate’s session will not solve the current partisan gridlock.
“Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law. Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage,” he said on X.
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Lacson kay Marcoleta: Damn Your Damdamin!
Damn your damdamin!
Mariing pinuna ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes si Sen. Rodante Marcoleta dahil sa pagdiin niya na dapat nagprotesta ang minority bloc sa “pagsigaw” ni Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla kay Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano sa gitna ng pag-aresto kay Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada noong Lunes.
Ani Lacson, nagpapasalamat ang minority bloc dahil hindi binigwasan ni Remulla si Cayetano dahil sa inasal niya, habang nagpapatupad ng arrest warrant laban kay Estrada dahil sa kasong plunder at graft.
“So, kasalanan pa ng minority bloc na hindi nag-protesta dahil sinigawan ang Senate President natin? Actually, laking pasasalamat nga namin na hindi siya binigwasan ni Sec Jonvic dahil sa inasal niya kahapon. Damn your damdamin,” ani Lacson sa isang post sa X.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Marcoleta sa isang panayam sa radyo na namayani ang kanyang damdamin at dapat ay nagpakita ng pakikiisa ang minority bloc kay Estrada bilang kapwa senador, at kay Cayetano bilang Senate President.
Dagdag niya, dapat umanong tinutulan ng minority ang pagtaas ng boses ni Remulla kay Cayetano, dahil ang Senate President ay “dapat igalang.”
Tinangka ngunit nabigong pigilan ni Cayetano ang pag-aresto kay Estrada nang dumating ang pulisya upang ipatupad ang warrant ng Sandiganbayan laban sa kanya.
Sa gitna ng komprontasyon, binanggit ni Cayetano ang umano’y naging hakbang ni dating Senate President Jovito Salonga sa pagprotekta kay noon ay Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, ngunit itinuloy pa rin ni Remulla ang pagpapatupad ng warrant.
Muli ring igniit ni Lacson na ang pagtindig para sa kasarinlan ng Senado ay hindi nangangahulugan na higit na sa batas ang sinumang senador, kabilang si Cayetano. Dagdag niya, ang pagtalikod sa tungkulin sa pamamagitan ng pagliban sa sesyon ay hindi makakatulong sa paglutas sa sitwasyon ng Senado.
Lacson also reiterated that standing up for the Senate’s independence should not place any senator – including Cayetano – above the law, adding dereliction of duty will not solve the current partisan gridlock.
“Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law. Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage,” aniya sa X.
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