Press Release
May 26, 2009

TRANSCRIPT OF SEN. MAR ROXAS' MANIFESTATION DURING THE SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PROCEEDING REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR SENATE PRESIDENT JUAN PONCE ENRILE

Let me congratulate and thank you for your remarks. Congratulate because it is a magnificent example of delicadeza, of leadership of someone who is constantly willing to put himself under judgment of history and of his peers. Mr. President, I fully understand your desire to relinquish your position or duties as presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole. These attacks on your person, indeed, are very painful and unwarranted.

But I chose to intervene at this point, Mr. President, because I, for one, do not agree that you should relinquish your post. In fact, Mr. President, after canvassing our colleagues, and they are all here and they can all speak up for themselves, the overwhelming conclusion and consensus is that we want for you to continue as the presiding officer of this Committee of the Whole.

Mr. President, we have had six hearings. In all that time you have exhibited a fairness, an impartiality, a willingness to listen. Indeed, even a willingness to be outvoted, to be reversed by your peers. And in all that time, you have conducted yourself with the utmost professionalism, transparency, and accountability to your peers, to the nation and to history.

Mr. President, I bring with me a resolution for your consideration that has been signed by 13 of our peers, excluding yourself. The resolution expresses our full faith and confidence in your leadership as Senate President and in particular, as presiding officer of this Committee of the Whole. It has been individually signed by 11 of our colleagues who are present and 2 of our colleagues sent faxed affirmations of their intent to so as well sign the same resolution. One is from Sen. Legarda who is on official business or official mission in Bhutan. She sent a faxed with a certification from her chief of staff, Atty. Antonio Paredes, that indeed this is an authentic and duly executed signature of Sen. Legarda. And likewise from Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, who wrote this representation authorizing me to affix her signature on the confidence resolution. 'Please affix my signature on the confidence resolution in favor of Sen. Enrile to be the presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole provided that the following remarks should appear beside my name' and the remarks are 'Concurring to avoid personalities.'

Mr. President, 13 of our colleagues have expressed their confidence in your impartial, objective leadership of these proceedings. Every opportunity has been given to the respondent. Every opportunity was given to the minority to express their views and to have their views discussed, debated and decided upon. Your decisions, Mr. President, are not dictatorial. Your decisions are the product of a vote, a vote that majority of the members expressed their view. That votation is the very essence of democracy. A vote is taken and the view of the majority is that which is read.

Mr. President, the issue here is the very, very serious charges that have been brought by Sen. Madrigal against one of our colleagues, Sen. Manuel Villar. That is what is at issue here. We must get to the bottom of this. Indeed, your remarks are appropriate that the credibility, the honor and the integrity of the Senate is what is at stake. And the sooner we get to the very crux of this matter, the better for all of us.

So I appeal, Mr. President, to you, our Senate President, to hear the wishes of your colleagues that we have confidence in you as presiding officer of these proceedings.

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