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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Will tensions start to ease? Enrile b-day bash paves way for Zubiri, Romualdez meeting

Will tensions start to ease? Enrile b-day bash paves way for Zubiri, Romualdez meeting

Published Feb 14, 2024 08:33 am

At A Glance

  • Feb. 14, Valentine's Day--also was the 100th birthday of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile--paved the way for Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez to meet in the presence of President Marcos.

Feb. 14, Valentine's Day--also was the 100th birthday of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile--paved the way for Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez to meet in the presence of President Marcos.

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From left: Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri pose for a photo during the celebration of the 100th birthday of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Malacañang. (Photo courtesy of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr.)

"Sa harap ni Presidente nagkita po kami, nagkamayan po kami (We met each other in front of the President, we shook hands)," Zubiri said in an interview.

Zubiri, his fellow senators, as well as congressmen were invited to the celebration of Enrile's birthday in the Malacañang on Wednesday, Feb. 14.

"Nag-usap kami ni Speaker kanina sabi po namin (Me and the Speaker spoke earlier we said) let's work professionaly, tigil muna ang bangayan (let's cease all the arguing), let's continue to work for the benefit of the administration para sa ating mga kababayan (for our countrymen)," Zubiri said.

He says that it's not a good look if lawmakers in the upper and the lower chambers are arguing.

"We committed to talk to each other hopefully next week for a secondary meeting kasi mabilis lang yung pagkikita namin kanina, nagkamayan po kami," Zubiri.

(Our meeting earlier was quick, we shook hands.)

What's good with their meeting, according to Zubiri, is that they agreed to work together to pass legislation for the people.

But the end of the mudslinging, the Senate President said, will depend on the members of the House of Representatives (HOR).

He added that most of his colleagues in the Senate are willing to let bygones be bygones and to continue working for the people.

"I know medyo nagkasakitan ang mga senator at mga congressmen (some of the senators and congressmen got offended), particularly my majority floor Leader but it does not mean we cannot work professionally," Zubiri said.

"Let today be a good sign and let today be a sign that we work professionally at tigil muna yung bangayan (and let's drop the arguments for now) and let's focus on the work at hand."

This development between Romualdez and Zubiri came after Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) President Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co exchanged tirades.

Villanueva hit back at Co in a privileged speech during session Monday, Feb. 12 wherein he refuted Co's claim that he had pending cases before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The cause of these disputes arose from the push for the People's Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

In a separate interview, Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. said that he was hoping the conflict would eventually end between the two legislative chambers since it's the public that has been suffering from it.

Related Tags

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez SENATE PRESIDENT JUAN MIGUEL ZUBIRI Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva Juan Ponce Enrile
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