Enrile: Senate committee chairmanships my decision
By Angie M. Rosales 08/04/2010 Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday quelled allegations that Palace allies, composing the Liberal Party (LP) bloc, controlled the distribution of committee assignments and secured for themselves the juicy posts. Enrile assumed responsibility in the designation of chairmen in various committees, even taking it upon himself to clear the issue concerning Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who was left with no panel assignment along with Sen. Joker Arroyo. “That’s my decision. I told my colleagues, ‘you know, I assume that when you voted for me as Senate President, I am entitled to make decisions. I’ll make a decision. I give the privilege to you to kick me out if you do not agree’,” Enrile told reporters, adding that his decision in designating each member to a particular committee was based “on the need of government and the capability of each one.” “I based these decisions on the advocacy (of each senator). I have my own notion of the capability of each of us here,” he said. A number of senators have complained over alleged bullying of the ranks of the LP in the Senate in securing their committee assignments. Santiago was vocal in expressing her disgust over the distribution of panel chairmanship which she noted even disregarded the tradition of seniority in choosing who should lead a particular panel. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100804hed3.html |
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