Lawyer moves to stop Santiago’s ‘abusiveness’
“Her abusiveness should be stopped.”
This was the statement of lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan after he filed various complaints against Ilonggo Senator Miriam Santiago before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Ethics Committee of the Senate of the Philippines.
Alentajan recently filed a complaint for expulsion as member of the Senate against Santiago before the Committee on Ethics of the Senate of the Philippines. He also filed a petition to disqualify and cancel the Certificate of Candidacy of Santiago before the Comelec.
Alentajan also filed with the Comelec a “motion for physical and mental examination of respondent Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago.”
Interviewed by the Iloilo media recently, Alentajan said that the filing of said complaints was his own initiative in response to the insults and abuses the senator have done to him. He said he is joined in the filing of complaints by Atty. Nombraan M. Pangcoga.
Alentajan said Santiago insulted him at the Senate when he filed an opposition to the appointment of former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Sr. “She stated personal attacks on my person and my integrity,” Alentajan said.
Alentajan added Santiago has also earned the ire of Muslim groups after she issued bitter remarks against the accreditation of Akoy Muslim partylist.
Alentajan also observed that the Ilonggo senator usually abuses her parliamentary immunity by throwing unfounded statements and attacks against her enemies right on the Senate floor.
“She uses her parliamentary immunity to attack her enemies even in government causing injury to other persons in the government service,” Alentajan added.
Alentajan, who hails from Culasi, Antique, said that he used to be a friend of Santiago “until she became too abusive.”
He recalled that he was the one who gave Santiago a break in government service after he introduced her to Sec. Rafael Salas, one of the trusted men of then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos.
Alentajan added that he also helped Santiago’s husband get a job in government first as a security officer in the Senate.
A successful lawyer in Manila, Alentajan said Santiago is a shame to the Senate of the Philippines.
