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I asked in this corner last Wednesday: “What now, Senate, on Epira?”
The answer from Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile was quick and
unequivocal—the Senate will go through with the Epira amendments
“to alleviate the burden of the consuming public on high cost of
electricity.”
JPE had previously given an earful to officers
of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) for writing a letter to
President Arroyo opposing the amendment of the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act (Epira). For a moment, I thought JPE, whom I
truly admire, would backtrack after the House Committee on Energy
headed by presidential son Rep. Mikey Arroyo of Pampanga, had agreed
to shelve the Epira bill. Indeed, JPE and the others who had given a
spirited—and even emotional—defense of the amendatory bill,
would lose face if they suddenly shy away after the House panel had
spoken. Thankfully, this would not happen. JPE will stay the course,
and damn the torpedoes.
I guess I should not have doubted at all JPE’s
determination to amend the Epira. His and the Senate’s efforts to
amend the law would go to nothing if the House refuses to go along.
This, however, would not stop him and like-minded senators including
Senate Minority Leader Nene Pimentel, from staying the course—no
if’s, and’s or but’s.
“With due respect to them (the congressmen),
we will go through the amendments. Now, after we finish the
amendments, it will be the responsibility of the House to either
pass it or not pass. If they will not pass it, then they have to
answer to the people,” he said.
I agree with JPE that this will become a
political issue if the House sits on the bill. Sen. Joker Arroyo,
who had voted against the Epira, gave the clearest reason why it
must be amended. “The law is not working. Its twin objectives to
reduce the indebtedness of the National Power Corp. and reduce power
rates have not been achieved after seven years.”
Tito Sotto on the go
I congratulate former Sen. Tito “Tito Sen”
Sotto on his well-deserved appointment as chairman of the Dangerous
Drugs Board. If there is any office other than lawmaking that fits
him to a T, this is it. I did not vote for him as senator in 1992,
where he was No. 1, because I was not convinced then of his
capability and qualifications as a legislator. I voted for him in
1998 and 2007 because I already was. And while he lost in 2007, I
never regretted voting for him.
I always laugh at the ignoramuses who dismiss
Tito Sen as nothing but a comedian. They have ignored the fact that
Tito Sen’s capabilities were so recognized at the Senate that he
even became a Senate Majority Leader. In my book, next to the Senate
President, the Majority Leader is the most important Senate post
because it identifies Senate priorities. Nothing reaches the floor
without his imprimatur. A majority leader must be highly
knowledgeable in parliamentary procedures, and Tito Sen had
brilliantly acquitted himself in this.
Those who say that Tito Sen’s appointment was
President Arroyo’s payment of a political debt gloss over his
credentials for the post. When he was Quezon City vice mayor, he led
the city’s successful anti-drug campaign. At the Senate, he made
several exposes on the operations of drug rings. He was the
principal author of the law creating the Dangerous Drugs Board that
gave more muscle to the campaign against illegal drugs. Shortly
after President Arroyo had succeeded President Joseph Estrada, she
asked him to be her administration’s anti-drug czar. Tito Sen
rejected it because as senator, he could not accept an
administrative post in a concurrent capacity. That proves that even
before he ran in 2007 under the pro-administration coalition ticket,
he was already a shoo-in for the post.
Incidentally, among those criticizing his
appointment is retired singer Leah Navarro, spokeswoman of Black and
White. Tito Sen had a hand in her rise to singing stardom by
producing her first hit Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito. Now, she has
forgotten that, all because of her opposition to the Arroyo
administration.
Thankfully, Tito Sen is unaffected by these
criticisms. He said that no politics is involved in his campaign
against drugs, and that what matters most to him is not the opinion
of others but how he will perform his job. I say, go, go, go, Tito
Sen. Just like you convinced me after I did not vote for you in
1992, I am sure you would convince others who now doubts what you
could do as DDB chairman.
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