Miriam: Abolishing Senate will save gov’t P5 billion

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said yesterday that if the Senate were to be abolished by July, the government could save over P1 billion each year — a total of over P5 billion until 2010, the end of the term of the 12 senators elected in 2004.

"Certain senators formally announced their rejection of the pork barrel, because at that time its announcement was trumpeted in the media," Santiago said. "If a senator wants to save the country some P200 million per year, then logically that senator would want to save the country over P1 billion a year."

In a statement, Santiago again pushed for a shift in the system of government from presidential to parliamentary, saying the members of the Senate do not represent the true sentiments of the people.

"If political dialogue on the (1987) Constitution cannot rise above personal greed for power, I would rather vote for a change to the parliamentary system," she said.

Santiago also said she is prepared to "be downgraded to an ordinary MP (Member of Parliament)."

She was absent when the Senate resumed session yesterday and the senators met in a budget caucus. The senator said she would continue to be on medical leave this week.

In reiterating her call for eliminating the Senate, Santiago said Senate employees should be given hiring priority in other government offices.

Santiago pushed for the abolition of the Senate while senators met in a private caucus to discuss the early passage of the delayed 2006 budget.

"Only the Supreme Court has sole and exclusive power to decide whether we can have Charter change and abolish the Senate," Santiago said. "By itself, the Senate has no power to veto a House resolution calling for a constituent assembly."

Under the proposed parliamentary system, President Arroyo would remain head of state and head of government until 2010 and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. is likely to keep his post at the helm of the House of Representatives. Mrs. Arroyo would also retain the power to appoint a prime minister (PM), Santiago said.

"Logically, DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo should be appointed PM because, by protocol, he is already the head of Cabinet in our present system," she said.

Santiago said also certain senators are "licking their forefingers and holding them up to the wind" and are planning to support Charter change efforts if given a chance to run for prime minister.

The House resolution for Charter change is now undergoing public hearing in the Senate, where it is expected to face rough sailing.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, who favors the constituent assembly mode of Charter change, said Santiago’s projection that the Senate will be abolished by July is impossible.

Angara said such actions would only come about if the Senate and House see eye to eye on the matter of changing the Constitution. He also cited the "tight schedule" of Congress as a major challenge to Charter change.

Sen. Richard Gordon commented that De Venecia must be fuming mad because Santiago will be a contender against the Speaker in the prime ministerial race.

Opposition Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said a constitutional convention is "not workable," while Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier and Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said they both favored constitutional amendments via a constitutional convention.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said he refused to dignify Santiago’s abolition call, although he respected Santiago’s opinion. The exchange of words before the media rekindled sparks between the two senators, whose "sweet-and-sour" relationship dates back to their college days at the University of the Philippines.

Drilon said the Senate, working as one, will bring the issue of whether or not the Senate should pursue a constituent assembly and vote separately on the matter of Charter change before the Supreme Court after exhausting all available legal remedies.

He said Angara and Sen. Lito Lapid "can attend in their personal capacity and cannot carry the institution of the Senate" in case the House of Representatives pursues its resolution for a constituent assembly voting as one.