Enrile a no-show at Cabinet meeting

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile was a no-show at Tuesday’s Malacañang briefing for Cabinet officials and leaders on the country’s territorial dispute with China.

President Aquino presided over the briefing, where the administration’s decision to take the dispute to a United Nations arbitration tribunal was announced.

Those who attended the meeting included Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, and most members of the Cabinet.

A lawmaker who was present at the briefing told The STAR yesterday he was informed that Enrile stayed away from the Palace meeting to avoid a situation where Aquino might suggest that the Senate leader and Cayetano bury the hatchet.

“I think it would be difficult for JPE to say no to the President, if P-Noy were to make such a suggestion. JPE did not want to face that dilemma. Of course, he also did not want to see Alan Peter,” the source said.

Enrile had attended a previous Palace conference on the country’s territorial dispute with China, in which one of his Senate critics, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, was present.

Cayetano, his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Trillanes have been feuding with Enrile. Last year he withheld from them P1.6 million each in funds for maintenance and other operating expenses, which the Senate chief gave to 18 other senators.

Suarez told reporters yesterday that he had asked during the Palace briefing what Beijing’s motive could be for aggressively pursuing its territorial claims over islets and rock formations that are closer to the Philippines than China.

“Is it oil or natural gas? Nobody gave me an intelligent answer,” Suarez said.

He said with its expanding population and economy, China would need all the oil, natural gas and other fuels from every possible source.

“The President came up with some very interesting issues and comments. I think he handled the meeting well,” Suarez said.