‘No hatred for Miriam’

DAVAO CITY – "I never have had any hatred nor anger for Sen. (Miriam) Defensor-Santiago."

Thus declared Rosanna Tuason-Fores, one of three spectators in the Senate gallery whom Santiago accused of looking at her provocatively and "banished" from the impeachment proceedings last Jan. 4.

The two others were Dante Jimenez, chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, and Bettina Araneta-Aboitiz, councilwoman of Barangay Forbes Park.

Instead of hatred, Fores said she pitied Santiago for her behavior during that emotionally charged day at the Senate.

"I really feel vindicated. But I don’t consider it just a vindication for the three of us...but for all the Filipino people," Fores, a 37-year-old mother of four, told The STAR.

Fores said she felt very happy that Filipinos have spoken again and succeeded in overthrowing former President Estrada.

She said the victory of "EDSA II" overshadowed the "little victories" of senators perceived to be pro-Estrada.

"When Miriam threw us out, it was some kind of a little victory for her. And when the 11 senators barred the (opening) of the controversial envelope, it was another little victory for them. But they were nothing but small victories compared to the victory that the people got in EDSA," she said.

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