Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago: No, I Won't Change!

[gangster]

No matter how many enemies and critics she gains, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said she is not changing her personality for the countless and nameless faces who disapprove the way she talks and fires up, especially against people who challenge her.

“Every time we do something with our lives, every time we make a difference, there are people who will be displeased. Normally (these are) people who are profiting from the status quo and do not want to be changed,” Santiago said.

“I cannot please all other people all of the time. I’m only addressing my own constituents, the university students and urban professionals,” she said.

The feisty senator said she is no longer affected when criticisms are thrown her way.

“Ang tagal tagal ko na sa pulitika. Bagong–bago pa lang ako sa pulitika na criticize na ako eh!” she said.

Santiago said those attacking her personality as a senator-judge of the Senate impeachment court for scolding prosecution lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre on the Senate floor after covering his ears and talking back at her, are clearly violating the sub judice rule.

“This is a personality attack. They want me to change my personality. Hindi na possible ’yan because I was born this way,” she said.

“Kaya wala silang karapatan na gumawa ng ganyang batikos. Because that is forbidden. Ngayon kung ang talagang judge is guilty let us say of misbehavior, what you do is you file a case in the supreme court for the removal of the judge or file a complaint,” she said.

Though he has resigned as a member of the House prosecution panel, Aguirre would still suffer the penalty of his discourteous act against a senator-judge.

What penalty he would be made to bear would be deliberated on by senator-judges in a caucus which Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said will be held Tuesday.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile moved to cite Aguirre for contempt during the last impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona last Feb. 29 before going on a one-week break.



--MB