Word war: ‘Insane person’ vs ‘closet gay’

MANILA, Philippines - The controversy over the lists of lawmakers with alleged dealings with suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles has sparked a vicious word war.

Belittling the value of Napoles’ supposed lists, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago yesterday renewed her attack against presidential adviser for rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson – a source of one of the lists – whom she called an “attack dog” of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

“Anyone can make lists,” said Santiago, whose name is not in the list provided by Lacson to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

Lacson, in a television talk show, was asked to say yes or no when names were mentioned that might be on his list. He said yes when Santiago’s name came up.

An enraged Santiago shot back yesterday: “I was told that there is a list entitled ‘Closeted gays or bisexuals in public service.’ I was given names, and I was requested to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether the person was truly in the list. When the name Pinky Lacson was called, I said yes.”

Lacson sent copies of the list he reportedly got from Napoles’ husband to the Blue Ribbon committee yesterday.

The panel also received an unsigned affidavit of Napoles containing a narration of events on how money had changed hands.

“Anyway, there is an affidavit, although unsigned, circulating in Metro Manila that Pinky Lacson has asked for leave of absence from Malacañang. The highly confidential reason is that he is scheduled for a gender change operation in a remote clinic in the United States,” Santiago said.

“For the record, I never had dealings with Napoles. The Napoles list, if unsigned, has no evidentiary value at all.  I repeat, Lacson is an attack dog of Enrile,” she said. “The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that to allege is not proof. Where is the evidence, as defined in the Rules of Court?”

Santiago also reiterated her call for the Senate to get a copy of the list prepared by main pork barrel scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

“I am pushing to get the list of Benhur Luy. I understand that Luy’s list is substantiated by documents and details,” Santiago said.

On Santiago’s insinuation that he is gay, Lacson said: “It’s amazing how a crusading crook can pretend to be at the forefront of the fight against the pork barrel system with such an arsenal of hypocrisy.” 

Lacson, a former police chief, categorically stated that he is not gay. “No offense to all the gays in the world, but I do not intend to be one,” he said.

“A high school classmate who is now a psychiatrist once advised me never to react to an insane person,” he said, apparently referring to Santiago.

“It could be infectious. Anyway, for the nth time, I am not gay,” Lacson said.

“I hope she gets the Benhur list soon so she will get the biggest surprise of her adult life. I can only imagine how she will feel. It is like being slapped with 10 kilos of pork,” Lacson said.