14 SENATORS BACK ENRILE AS CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Fourteen senators expressed their "vote of confidence" for Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole presiding over the complaint filed by Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo A.S. Madrigal against Sen. Manuel Villar.

Through Senate Resolution No. 1095, Senators Angara, Aquino, Biazon, Escudero, Estrada, Gordon, Honasan, Lacson, Lapid, Legarda, Madrigal, Revilla, Roxas and Zubiri urged the Senate President to continue presiding as Chair of the Senate Committee of the Whole.

Before the committee resumed its meeting this morning, Enrile requested that he be excused from presiding over the the morning and give the task to the Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Jinggoy Estrada."

Enrile explained that his purpose was "to maintain the good name of the Senate, to restore its sullied image, to maintain its independence, to make it a bulwark and guardian of our liberties and to work for the benefit of the people."

He said that because of the attacks against him personally which also affected the Senate, "I feel it is in the interest of the Senate and myself and the proceedings of the Senate Committee of the Whole that my fate as Chair of the Senate Committee of the Whole be decided in the Senate Plenary which, in the first place, installed me as such."

Enrile excused himself from presiding over the committee meeting this morning but the other senators called on him to continue presiding and praised him for his leadership in defending the integrity of the Senate.

Senator Rodolfo Biazon commended Enrile for "consulting with us every time there is something controversial." He joined Senators Mar Roxas and Gordon in asking Enrile to continue to chair the committee.

Senator Jamby Madrigal said that "I believe in the leadership of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and his credentials as a lawyer and statesman, who has given this trial a lot of integrity and transparency. It is unfortunate that the minority attacks us merely on a personal level when the issue is graft and corruption."

Senator Miguel Zubiri said, "I just like to express my full support, my full trusted confidence in the leadership of the Senate President as presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole. I have not seen a more competent presiding officer ... He has shown his professionalism and his utmost fairness as mentioned earlier by our colleagues."

Senator Panfilo Lacson told Enrile, "I urge you not to relinquish, not to resign your position as the presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole. ... The only reason why I am urging you to stay, please don't dignify a lie and to put it more bluntly, please don't dignify a liar. Please stay on, Mr. President."

Senator Jinggoy Estrada declared, "I share the opinions of my colleagues in the Majority. The Senate President has handled the hearings superbly, magnificently and with utmost integrity. And I join the call of my colleagues to reject the offer of the Senate President to relinquish his position as chairman of the Committee of the Whole."

Senator Mar Roxas congratulated Enrile for his "magnificent example of delicadeza, of leadership of someone who is constantly willing to put himself to the judgment of history and his peers. Mr. President, I fully understand your desire to relinquish your position or duty as presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole. These attacks on your person, indeed are very painful and unwarranted."

Senator Richard Gordon told the Senate chief, "I am four-square against any suggestions that you relinquish your position. Principally because we are trying to seek the truth and maybe some senators cannot accept the fact that we are all individuals here with our own principles, with our own consciences, capable of making decisions for our country. We do not make decisions here blindly for partisan reasons, Mr. President."

Sen. Ed Angara said, "I would like to associate myself with the remarks already made by Senators Roxas, Gordon, Jinggoy, Zubiri, Biazon, Lacson and Madrigal." He said the issue is to find out about the truth.

The Senate chief told his colleagues that "When you elevated me to the highest position in the Senate, I promised myself, and I promised you who so kindly supported me, to maintain the good name of the Senate, to restore its sullied image, to maintain its independence, to make it a bulwark and guardian of our liberties, and to work for the benefit of our people. It was for all those reasons that I assiduously required the majority to work hard on needed legislations and help our staff to weather the financial difficulties besetting many parts of the world.

"Recent events indicated that there are some who painted a dark picture about me especially in the handling of the ethics case about Senator Manuel Villar. While the attacks were on me personally, these attacks rubbed on the integrity, dignity and honor of the Senate. As a consequence, I had to take the floor to answer them and at the same time offered to give up my position as Presiding Officer of the Senate Committee of the Whole.

"While I appreciate the expression of support and confidence from the members of the Majority who made me President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Whole, I feel it is in the interest of the Senate and myself and the proceedings of the Senate Committee of the Whole that my fate as Chair of the Senate Committee of the Whole be decided in the Senate Plenary which, in the first place, installed me as such."