Legarda reiterates support for Enrile

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Loren Legarda reiterated yesterday her support for Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as she enjoined her fellow senators to settle their differences.

Legarda stressed that the Senate should be a solid institution focused on addressing the more important and pressing needs of the country.

“I continue to support Senate President Enrile as many other senators do. I believe in his wisdom and capability, and the Senate as a body has accomplished much under his leadership,” she said.

Legarda lamented that the controversy about uneven distribution of additional funds and the exchange of harsh words have caused too much divisiveness.

Aside from Legarda, Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Francis Escudero had reiterated their confidence in Enrile to remain as Senate President.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that the recent developments in the Senate have placed the institution in a bad light.

“It is a good sound bite but the institution is adversely affected. Many of us cannot simply keep quiet and we want to regain the integrity of the Senate as an institution, which we hope to happen in God’s grace. We hope we can again bounce back... especially after the high ratings during the Corona impeachment trial,” Lacson said in Filipino over dzBB radio.

‘Painful experience’

Lacson said he expects that the Senate’s trust rating will go down to single digit, if not negative, because of the controversy.

Reacting to President Aquino’s statement in Davos over the weekend that the Senate should focus on the much-needed legislation than fight, Lacson said that it would be unproductive if the Senate leadership is changed at this time.

He said Congress is left with six session days before going to another extended break for the election campaign and it needs to pass the additional amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act before the Feb. 9 break.

Lacson conceded that the recent controversy is “a painful experience” but it is a sign that the Senate needs to be more open when it comes to audit and accounting.

He said the two chambers of Congress and the executive department should cooperate with the Commission on Audit (COA) to improve the auditing process.

He agrees with the call of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for a thorough audit but not through a private firm, citing constitutional mandate that gives the COA full authority over audit of government funds.