MANILA, Philippines - Expectations were high for another fiery Senate session after Tuesday’s walkout by Senator Miriam Santiago over nasty and lengthy debates on the proposal to censure Senator Manny Villar.

But the audience was disappointed after the majority suspended consideration of the Villar ethics case.
 
“Nakiusap ako sa ating mga kasamahan sa majority na kung puwede tigil putukan muna....For today, trabaho muna tayo. Kawawa, ang daming pending measures pa,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

Awaiting Senate action are the proposals to exempt senior citizens from the 12% expanded value-added tax (E-VAT), Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, and early voting in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, among other measures.

Villar’s Senate allies welcomed the majority’s call for a ceasefire, even as they saw other possible reasons behind the suspension of the discussions.

“Kung seize ang gagawin nila na susugurin so ceasefire diyan sa session hall pero gustong pahabain ang isyu until next week, I think hindi naman patas yun,” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said.

“Maybe they’re still trying to get the numbers. Yun ang nakikita kong dahilan. And of course, they’re adding we should cool the heated atmosphere, that’s an additional reason,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.

Had the Senate voted on the committee report calling for Villar’s censure over unethical conduct, there would not have been enough votes to adopt the recommendation because two of those likely to vote for Villar’s censure were absent: Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Panfilo Lacson.

Renergized and ready to do battle

Meanwhile, a vindicated Santiago said she was reenergized and ready to do battle over the Villar ethics report.

“I just went home and punched my punching bag a couple of hundred times. I inherited that from my dad. And for good measure, I practiced my judo strokes. So I feel very good,” Santiago said.

The Senate will resume consideration of the Villar ethics report on Monday and has until Wednesday to put the matter to a vote.