Miriam, FVR trade barbs at Senate

Former President Fidel Ramos and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago traded barbs in yesterday’s congressional inquiry on the sale of the Masinloc power plant in Zambales.

The former president arrived ahead of the members of the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) investigating the deal and even posed for photographers with the empty chair of Santiago as background to show that the senator was late for their face-off.

The emotionally charged debate came a few minutes after Ramos read his prepared four-page statement denying allegations that he exerted undue influence on the bidding for the Masinloc power plant in favor of Malaysian firm Ranhill Berhad.

Santiago, co-chairman of JCPC, went straight to the point by asking Ramos to comment on Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.’s press statement last June 22 that "the hand of Ramos in the proposed entry of Ranhill Berhad should be carefully looked into by the congressional oversight committee on power."

The former chief executive responded that the story was without basis and carried only by one or two broadsheets and some tabloids.

"I am not calling anybody anything… these attacks upon me are without basis. It is about association, it is guilt by association, Madam chairman," Ramos told Santiago. "I don’t know if that is now an accepted legal principle in our jurisprudence."

Santiago retorted, "not necessarily," and proceeded to lecture Ramos on the legal theory behind the principle of "guilt by association."

Before she finished her explanation, Ramos interrupted her.

An obviously irked Santiago said, "No, I have the floor whenever I decide to have it… You are using the guilt by association very loosely, sir. In law, guilt by association is finding a person guilty beyond reasonable doubt of a crime when there is no other evidence except that he went to a certain facility or house or location or he talked to a certain person."

When the senator asked Ramos if he was calling Pimentel a liar by denying his involvement in the Masinloc deal, it was Ramos’ turn to be irked.

Admitting that he was at a loss over the question, Ramos, raising his voice, also threw categorical questions.

"Are you saying that UMNO (the ruling political party of Malaysia) is involved in corruption in contracts in the Philippines, specifically the Masinloc power plant?" he asked Santiago, further causing a stir in the proceedings.

"Sir, it is not your function to raise questions with the chair, your function is to answer. You are discharged by this chair, thank you," Santiago said.

She ignored Ramos for a moment as he tried to grapple for words on how to react to the senator’s statements until Sen. Sergio Osmeña III intervened and asked Santiago to allow Ramos to remain seated so that he can respond to questions by the other members of the committee.

Santiago left the panel later without saying a word.

Asked later if Ramos ruined her day, Santiago laughed and said: "I think on the contrary, I ruined his."

On the other hand, when asked if he was offended with the way Santiago treated him during the inquiry, Ramos replied that he is used to facing congressional inquiries.

"Sanay na ako diyan. Dumating tayo dito ay nakahanda na tayo (I am used to it. I came here prepared)," he said.

Ramos’ camp, however, felt insulted that Santiago did not "treat" the former president well.

Ramos remain unfazed though and said, "it was normal." He maintained that he has no qualms attending congressional inquiries and crossing paths with Santiago, who has accused him of cheating her in the 1992 presidential polls.

In his press statement, Pimentel said the Malaysian firm should not be exempted from the bidding rules just because of the reported intercession of Ramos, chairman emeritus of the ruling Lakas-NUCD party, which has links with UMNO, whose leaders supposedly have interest in Ranhill Berhad.

"(The) Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. should make sure that Ranhill Berhad makes it on its own merit and not because the name of former President Ramos is recklessly dropped as supportive of its desire to buy the Masinloc plant. If Ranhill Berhad qualifies according to law, then, by all means, barring better offers, it should get the contract," Pimentel said.

He added that before Ranhill Berhad can be allowed to take over YNN Pacific (which won the bid for the power plant) and acquire the right to own and operate the Masinloc plant, it should comply with all the requirements of law pertaining to the privatization of the government’s power assets. — Christina Mendez