Is there any politician who is not indebted to Philippine Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile? Okay, let us limit it to the Senate. Is there any senator who is not indebted to him? It seems Enrile has the goods on every Senator and he appears to be in the habit of using personal information against them to try and win public debates and the sympathy of the people. One cannot help but think that Enrile is kinda pathetic for using these tactics. It reminds me of how mafia gangs operate: they do a favor for you but you have to do a favor for them come payback time.
They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If someone gives you something, they always expect you to give them something or to do something for them in return. Last December, Enrile was accused of giving the equivalent of a free lunch to the senators in the form of monetary “gifts”. Unfortunately for Enrile, his decision to play favorites by not giving the same amount of Christmas bonus to four senators has backfired on him big time. To those who don’t know, the four senators who Enrile thought had been “bad” to him are Senator Miriam Santiago, Senator Antonio Trillanes, Senators Peter and Pia Cayetano.
[Photo courtesy Yahoo! News.]
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Enrile’s action would have probably gone unnoticed had he been gracious enough to politely accept Senator Miriam Santiago’s Christmas biscuits in December. Giving it back to her was a bad move on Enrile’s part, indeed. Apart from it being rude, it made Santiago very angry. She then raised a stink and declared to the media that, “so-called savings of each public office has turned into a national scandal, the grandmama of all scandals” and that “enforced savings are distributed among the highest officials, in the guise of Christmas bonuses”. Santiago immediately requested the Commission on Audit to look into the legitimacy of the disbursement of senate funds because she thinks Enrile’s move is “unconscionable” and “unconstitutional”.
A few weeks later, it was Senator Peter Cayetano’s turn to grill Enrile about the Christmas bonuses. His move came after Enrile just wouldn’t stop badmouthing the Cayetano siblings. Now Cayetano wants a private auditing firm to scrutinize the liquidation and certification of funds in the Senate to put an end to the controversy surrounding the P1.6 million given by Enrile to 18 senators for personal use. Some could say that Peter Cayetano’s motivation for requesting for a private auditor has to do with his simmering beef with Enrile, which was exacerbated by the fact that the elderly senator gave the Cayetanos only P250,000.00 each as “bonuses” last Christmas. But his request is not a bad idea. In fact, the Filipino people should welcome the chance to use an independent auditor to get to the bottom of the allegations.
While it is noted that he is up for reelection, Cayetano’s motivation to shine through this crisis can work well for him and the public. What he said in his speech made sense — unlike his speeches during the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. And besides, somebody else aside from Senator Santiago and Senator Antonio Trillanes has to stand up for the people against the all-powerful-and-mighty in the Senate once and for all.
As it turns out, it might not even be Enrile who is calling the shots behind closed doors. In his privilege speech, Cayetano was implying two things: one, that Enrile has a romantic relationship with his Chief of Staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes and two, that it is actually Reyes who is the real boss in the Senate. Cayetano revealed that not only is Reyes allowed to join senate caucuses, she also has a say as well, as if she was herself a senator. He also showed documents on screen showing typewritten authorization signed by Enrile, which was superseded by handwritten documents by Reyes also authorizing the release of the “savings” to the senators.
Apparently, some of us have been living under a rock all this time. I am ashamed to admit that I wasn’t aware that Enrile has a mistress. He tries his best to project an image of goodness. Not surprisingly, the “esteemed” gentleman is not so honorable after all. Images of Enrile and Reyes doing a footsie during a caucus have entered some people’s minds. It’s outrageous that the senators have tolerated this relationship and their set-up in the senate for a long time. What the heck where they thinking allowing this impropriety to go on? And to think they were demanding excellent behavior from Renato Corona last year. I recall when some people were trying to dig up dirt on Corona during his trial and even falsely accused him of having an extra-marital affair. Do these senators think they are exempted from setting an exemplary behavior to the public?
Cayetano was clearly implying that Reyes’s alleged romantic liaison with Enrile has gotten into her head. Cayetano even accused her of being the reason for why the Cayetanos are not in Enrile’s list of favorites. It has something to do with Reyes being close to Peter Cayetano’s mayor wife’s rival in Taguig. Whew! I challenge you to try and figure that one out. Politicians in the Philippines are beginning to look a lot like a product of inbreeding indeed.
Things are not looking good for Enrile. It was reported that he fell ill and required an oxygen mask as his blood pressure shot up to 180/100 after the heated argument with Peter Cayetano. It’s a good thing President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino is in Davos right now. Had he been around to witness Enrile being ill, he would have made fun of him too just like he made fun of others who fell ill after being accused of corrupt activities.
Enrile falling ill could work against Cayetano though. In a society where the young are expected to show deference to the elders, some might blame Cayetano if something bad happens to Enrile as a result of their spat. As Cayetano kept stressing in his speech, he has always remained silent out of respect for the elderly senator even when Enrile would often resort to insulting him and his sister. But there’s another reason why the Cayetanos had to keep their cool in the past when it came to Enrile.
As Enrile himself revealed, their father, former Senator Renato Cayetano allegedly owes P37 million to Enrile. Of course Enrile brought this bit of information up out of the blue because he felt compelled to remind Peter that it is payback time for something that his father allegedly owed him. The payment is not necessarily in cash though. Such is life for a politician in the Philippines, if the custom of showing deference to elders doesn’t stop you from speaking up, the padrino system will.
Peter Cayetano might have said a few stupid things in the past especially when he was a senator judge in the impeachment trial of Corona but you have to give him credit for having the balls to stand up against the mighty Enrile unlike most of the senators. Cayetano probably realized that the old man has finally dug his own grave. I don’t know about you but the sight of Enrile waving a document supposedly showing how much the Cayetanos owe him while mumbling like a fool made him look so desperate. The dignified appearance he showed in last year’s impeachment trial is gone replaced by an image of disgruntled old man. He may have finally used up all his aces.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
This is an excellent piece of investigative reporting, Ilda. Yes it is heartening to see someone is finally standing up to the mighty JPE but it does not erase the stigma of the Cayetanos having voted for the conviction of CJ Corona although I am sure they know it in their hearts that he is not guilty. Peter Cayetano is now speaking out because he has been pushed into a corner.
@ RF Garcia….Unfortunately, investigative reporting this is not, you should learn to read a lot to distinguish a personal opinion from a report.
@ Ilda…This article you wrote is really good and very timely. Nice work!
Thanks!
@RF Garcia
Those who hailed Senator Enrile and the rest who convicted Corona last year should now realise the injustice committed by the senators. Unfortunately, most of them won’t even admit they were wrong. If only some senators would apologise and admit they made a mistake, the public would follow.
What do you mean Corona was not guilty in their hearts?
@ed
And what do you mean in your comment?
What is the answer you expect?
Did you know what Bongbong Marcos said after Corona’s guilty verdict?
“The senators should vote without FEAR or FAVOR.”
Unfortunately, w/o sound judgment, most of them (especially Lito Lapid) voted the former. Just to save their own asses from the angry mob. Oh yeah, that is, my good sir, is POLITICS.
A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation. -James Clarke
–Oh yeah, that is, my good sir, is POLITICS.
correcting…
Oh yeah. That, my good sir, is POLITICS.
Where did JP Enrile get the 37 million pesos that he loaned to Renato Cayetano from?
That’s an awful lot of money to be able to lend, just “like that”.
The distinguished Senate President has, as a matter of common knowledge, spent his life as a lawyer in private practice and as a statesman. Neither occupation is sufficiently well remunerated, OFFICIALLY, for one following them to acquire that sort of wealth.
In Hong Kong, “being unduly wealthy, whilst holding public office” is itself a crime.
In Singapore, politicians who did something anomalous will resign.
In the Philippines . . . kapalan ng mukha :-S
@Andrew
Yes, that is the question. Where did Enrile get the 37 million. It was a lot of money then and it is still a lot of money now for most Filipinos.
Actually, the PhP37 million isn’t too difficult to imagine. Enrile’s JAKA Investments Corporation in the early 1990’s was already worth billions. This was achieved through an initial public offering in 1994. The conglomerate has diversified interests in logistics and distribution, food processing, wood processing and property management. Enrile’s fortune isn’t solely dependent on his work as a lawyer. Based on his legitimate businesses alone, Enrile could have come up with the amount without too much trouble.
The question we should be asking is — What was the money for? And why did Enrile agree to loan the Cayetanos the money?
Just to add — when JAKA was formed in 1974, it had from the start, according to the company’s public records, some PhP50 million in assets. It’s principal founders were Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Ambassador Cristina Castañer Ponce Enrile. Today, like most family run companies, its management team and consists primarily of Enrile clan members.
Ilda, great piece
Enrile’s love life
Chicago tribune – 1998
“MANILA — Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s love life became
headlines this week, giving Filipinos their own domestic
version of what allegedly went on in the White House, the
seat of power of their old colonial masters.
Enrile is not the president, but his alleged tryst with a top
aide prompted his wife of 40 years to leave him this week
with the public quip that she no longer could tolerate his
chasing after other women, including domestic helpers,
cooks and assistants.
His wife, Cristina, a socialite, walked out on him this
month after charging adultery. The “other woman” is
reported to be Gigi Gonzales-Reyes, chief of staff of his
Senate office and about 30 years his junior.”
@Libertas
Thanks!
Good think Christina had the dignity to walk away. No wonder their son went through a rough stage. His dad probably wasn’t there for the family.
Politics is the breeding ground for crime, with the senate representing the criminals holy grail, where breeding, decency, and integrity is replaced with greed, self-interest, and hypocricy.
“I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal
food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your
mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.â€
― Graham Chapman , Monty Python and the Holy Grail
when hypocrite and serial liar ponce enrile started his affair with gigi reyes, it started in 1988
he was 60 she was 25. add disgusting dirty old man to the list.
Time to for these things to explode. Such actions should qualify these people as “UNFIT” to serve the public. Morals as clear as a muck in a sewage pipe. I can only ask Ilda if there is some way we could spread such “news” to more people. And I mean to the “less conscious” general public.
@BlueStreak
It’s a good think this is happening before the election. I hope the voters are taking note of their behaviour.
Is juan ponce enrile the dominique strauss-kahn of the philippines
Dsk has nothing on jape.
More like former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
They say the senate is the training ground for the presidency. That it is so has made it painfully apparent why our country is perpetually screwed front back and center. The events kept unfolding with much buffoonery that makes me laugh as tears roll down my eyes in despair. These clowns are not funny but I’m glad this is happening. Maybe this will be like one of those guy Ritchie shoot out scenes where everybody shoots each other and no one is left alive in the room.
I have zero expectations from these bozos in both houses of congress, especially in recent years. Principled stance is just a means for them to up their asking price. No wonder bs knows how to play them so well. He rose from the same pig sty and their manure stink to high heavens. None of them, not Miriam, Alan, antonio, jp and especially Frankie, deserve to be called ‘honorable’. None. Nada. Zilch.
Rest in peace Angie Reyes. Find solace rentato corona. You two have infinitely more honor than these hypocrites.
I can’t wait till they start throwing chairs at each other.
@ici
I’m sure some of them wish they can just hire an assassin to get rid of their enemies. Someone could still die as a result of this “word war”.
One could only wish, but my catholic upbringing dictates otherwise…besides, you know what they say about ‘masamang damp’… :p
wow! 37 million is worth a lot more money today since JPE claimed to loan it to the elder Cayetano. If true, this loan was likely done a long time ago.
@luke
It was so long ago that the adult children don’t even know the loan exist. Enrile could have taken the info to his grave had Cayetano not compel him to divulge it. Napilitan lang daw. He even emphasise putting the invoice back in his pocket. Madrama si Enrile.
“Gigi” Reyes has a huge mansion type beachhouse that Enrile supposedly gifted her in Lian, Batangas. Matuod.
est. to have at least a 50 million peso value.
she should be investigated as well.
today enrile says he has no personal relationship with gigi reyes!!
everyone in politics knows what a lie that is.
he goes from bad to worse
and desperate to protect his false image.
i agree. investigate her. am sure much of enrile’s stolen money has been channeled through her.
the liar, the thief and the whore. – a script for a movie
@GuerrillaSensei
What a disgrace! They should investigate that.
Enrile has sued ong of philstar for 31 million pesos for an article she wrote last year.
The court battle originated from Ong’s October 2012 column,
“Like Father, Like Son,” published in The Philippine Star .
Enrile’s damage suit reads: “The article characterizes JPE [Enrile]
as liar, fraud, and manipulator. It accuses JPE of attempting to
‘revise history’ with a devious purpose of enticing the electorate
to support his only son, Juan Castañer Ponce Enrile, Jr
(popularly known as Jack Enrile), an incumbent congressman in
the province of Cagayan and a candidate in the upcoming
senatorial elections.”
Sounds as though she was spot on, and lets hope the court case goes ahead since ong says ” it will expose enrile for what he is” and she will not be intimidated by a bully and expose his role in martial law and his personal character which is far from what he likes to portray
Yes; this libel action could be VERY interesting. If the facts are brought out, in public it would be difficult for the Court to make a finding without clearly giving reasons.
Let us hope Ong stands her ground and is not intimidated, and let us hope that witnesses for the defence are not intimidated either.
She did. Finally!
http://www.rappler.com/nation/20265-yoly-ong-files-p89-m-counterclaim-vs-enrile
Goon on the journalist for having the guts expose Enrile. I hope doesn’t end up in jail.
Or worse…
I had a friend, now dead, with three beautiful daughters and a lovely wife, who lived very near to Jack Enrile… he was always worried for the safety of his family
Well yolly ong is a super noytard…they deserve each other. Only bs is benefitting from all this brouhaha. I mean, how much for that Swiss junket? And don’t even get me started on that puny response to the tubbataha mess….
jci, huwag ka namang pahalata na pakawala ka ni Cheap Justice Corona
@rodney…cge na nga. Sabi mo eh. Sana happy ka na.
@ici:
Masayang-masaya siya just like a dog eating the spoils. 😛
Ilda,
We muse over Enrile’s indiscretions and his hypocrisy and for now that overshadows the murderous things his political career has been involved with. No one actually believes he is innocent of the Marcos regime’s Martial Law atrocities. At the very least he helped justify it by faking his assassination. There’s his 1986 coup attempt against the Marcos administration and the August 1987 coup attempt against the first Aquino administration. I’ll say it again — at the very least he should be imprisoned for life if not executed for treason.
Also, it seems that people associated with him are always involved with military adventurism but escape punishment. Senator Gringo Honasan was never held accountable for the dozens that were killed during the 1989 coup attempt he initiated. That rebellion should have merited the death penalty. And then there is Senator Trillanes’ “Oakwood mutinee.” Another act of treason that should have been punished with a life sentence at the very least. It should be remembered that Triallanes’ group stated that they were inspired by Honasan’s “patriotism.” And video footage from 2003 shows Honasan was an active participant in the rebellion.
Time and again we allow these duplicitous traitors to be pardoned and reward them with positions of power in government. It doesn’t matter what hand Enrile holds. Filipinos just keep letting him stack the deck in his favor.
@Johnny Saint
I think part of the reason why Enrile and his minions like Gringo got away easily in the past is because the people only relied on the mainstream media for information. Unfortunately, a lot of journalists can easily be bought or threatened with physical violence by these bozos as a guarantee their shenanigans don’t get airtime in the news.
Nowadays it is a little bit harder for these senators and other public servants to get away with under the table deals because of social media. The Netizens are their worst nightmare. Sadly, only a handful of Filipinos have access to the Net. Even some of those who do have access only use it to post photos and lame jokes.
I agree that Enrile, personally, wouldn’t know how to handle the Internet’s impact on society. The Net has become the single most potent force for democratizing our world. Thus far, the forces of totalitarianism (like Enrile) have attempted to use traditional methods to curtail the power that netizens can wield against them. Hence the passage of legislation like the “Cyber-crime Law” currently being debated again.
But just like in traditional media, the egalitarian nature of the Web allows the oppressors’ toadies and their deluded fanatics to post their propaganda. Just look at the number of trolls on GRP alone. And while the number of Internet users out there constitute MORE than just “a handful,” the MAJORITY waste the opportunity online media affords them on frivolous things. This tends to bury the “truth.”
I would hope GRP becomes not just an open marketplace of ideas and analysis but also a forum to publish facts that other media can’t or won’t disseminate.
@Johnny
Well, as you can see the rational commenters can see through the tactics of the rabid PNoy supporters. It’s hard to defend the indefensible like PNoy and any public servant who is caught red-handed doing any illegal activity. Just look at what happened to Senator Tito Sotto. He eventually had to apologise for plagiarizing someone else’s work because of pressure from social media. It took a while but he didn’t get away with it.
This is proof that GRP is not funded. We would have the time and resources to investigate, conduct personal interviews and do our own surveys if the site was funded. Admittedly, we are limited to writing opinion pieces as the events transpire.
GUYS! here’s a January 30, 1998 CHICAGO TRIBUNE article about Enrile and Gigi Reyes. My gosh matagal na pala tohng na broadcast. Wala pa kasing social media before kaya di ganon ka known…geez…naturingang mga abogado. Nasan na po ang delicadeza?
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-01-30/news/9801300110_1_filipinos-sen-juan-ponce-enrile-president-fidel-ramos
Enrile unmasked
The liar, the thief, and the whore,
The controlled image is no more.
Exposed as a person of the gutter,
His treachery makes one shudder.
Hypocricy in place of integrity,
To both wife and country, infidelity.
The flaws in character apparent, The self interest and greed transparent.
The truth shall set you free
Not a deceitful biography
Whatever the future will be
The senate has no place for thee
Or any member of this family
Where honor is an impossibility
Thanks for the link. It seems our own media didn’t pursue this.
what i found d MOST embarrassing during his word war w/ Cayetano was when JPE brought up the issue about the “house” to which cayetano retorted “UNG BAHAY NI-LOAN PO YAN AT NABAYARAN”.
making him look worse than a fool was when JPE mumbled in desperation ” EH ‘YONG KAHOY..”
to which cayetano shot back:”WALA PO AKONG ALAM TUNGKOL SA KAHOY Mr. President”
seriously Mr. Senate President? SERIOUSLY? pati ung kahoy? LOL
@Vendetta
I agree. What Enrile did was cringeworthy. In her statement to the media, even his Chief of Staff Gigi Reyes thought that he went below the belt when he brought up the money the elder Cayetano owe him. However, she still blames Cayetano for what Enrile did. Typical uto-uto.
Typical suso. She would never bite the hands that feeds her.
the hands also do other things to her!
a disgusting thought
The philippines is rich in resources
The senators/politicians are rich in money
The filipinos are mired in poverty.
Mmmm
Enrile and the other trapos have run the country into the ground whils enriching themselves, their family and mistresses, to such an extent that even vietnam now beats the philippines in economic terms. Their incompetence and corruption is tantamount to treason
enrile – born an illegitimate child – lived an illegitimate life
I guess his memoir is due for a major revision now. 😉
Looks like his memoir is full of half-truths.
Gigi reyes gives her privilege speech via the media.
Like lance armstrong, a short apology (sort of) and then a lot of ‘buts’ and whining.
Who the hell does she think she is – a senator. Yes, i guess she does.
@Libertas
I give her credit for resigning immediately. I think that she didn’t have a lot on Cayetano though. And she didn’t outrightly deny that she and Enrile are romantically involved.
are you sure she has resigned. i.e. cleared her office!
i think not.
i think this is her in damage control mode for enrile
and then they will ‘patch’ things up
i dont believe either of them
I think she won’t be able to function effectively anymore. There will be tension in the caucuses after Cayetano highlighted her presence. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
Enrile’s next book – ’50 shades of g.reyes’
Cayetano today
“Enrile, he said, should explain for instance how the P180 million
travel allowance under the P500 million budget was spent by the
Senate.”
This is the bigger issue/scam since it requires no receipts, and since cayetano is questioning it, i assume he does not get (180 mill ÷ 23) = 8 million per annum per senator, therefore someone is getting a hell of a lot, and basically unaudited.
Lets hope cayetano is not just in re-election mode and with the diversions and end of session the scam is forgotten.
this stinks
And the excuse of previous practice just means a lot of thieves for a long time – p-noy included. He only ever travelled to tarlac so a nice little tax free earner for him as well.
PNoy and his mouthpieces have yet to issue a strong statement about the ongoing fight in the Senate. It’s quite suspect that they are sitting on the fence considering the issue is already occupying the news.
Bs is benefitting from it.
It seems that these Senators are now opening their own “CANS OF WORMS”, and throwing them to each other. The cause is the dividing of the taxpayers’ money, as their loots.
The mistress of the womanizer Enrile, became an unelected Senator; disbursing public funds, with Enrile’s approval. It is now amusing… This political opportunist, Enrile; her mistress, may be demanding money. So, Enrile gave her the authority to dip her sticky fingers on public funds. Hindi si Enrile ang hinuthutan. Tayo and hinuthutan ang kabit ni Enrile. He does not want to use his own money, to provide for his mistress. He used public money (your tax money) to maintain his mistress. What a very good idea. Have a mistress, and peoples’ money will provide for her.
i will also give some credit to alan cayetano, but only if he follows through. i suspect not. instinct tells me he will talk the talk.
his sister on the other hand must be the token bimbo in the senate.
her obsession is running – very freudian – not actually working
And i agree. together with the trillanes guy, this person , who has shown utmost disrespect for an elderly person, has karma coming his way. we will see. they act but they do not think. tatalbog din sa kanya eto = silang magkapatid.
You do not have to read the headlines, stories etc etc etc to know that politicians are lying thieving weasels. Chasing your tail will be what you are ultimately doing for he who controls the military controls the population…..and its money!
So good-bye Jack the ripper, good-bye Mojo-Hand, good-bye Billy Sunday and his shot-gun RAGT-TIME band!
Anong ibig sabihin ni SP Enrile? Manahimik na lang si Sen Cayetano kahit nakita niya na hindi na tama ang ginagawa ng Senate President sa pundo ng bayan, dahil lang sa utang na loob, kung sakaling meron man???? WOW na man.
enrile should just die so we can all move on
Translation Enrile gets in the way of your idol Sendongirl. Your boss is a wimp.
get out of your cubicle once in a while
Get your head out of your ass. Oh wait, they’re one and the same thing!
“If a traveller were informed that such a man was the leader of the
Senate, he might begin to comprehend how the
Egyptians worshipped an insect”
Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81), British prime minister and author,
“That grand impostor, that loathsome hypocrite, that detestable
traitor, that prodigy of nature, that opprobrium of mankind, that
landscape of iniquity, that sink of sin, that compendium of baseness
who now calls himself our Protector.”
Anabaptists’ address to Charles II on Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)
Oh, that we had politicians with eloquence, conviction, and integrity, rather than tongue tied buffoons who manage to cruficy two languages in one sentence each time they open their mouth, ( lito lapid excepted – 1 language is too much for him to master), and who can only resort to the language of the gutter.
No class or breeding.
“Your dead daddy owes me money” wow. I think my 6 year old could do better.