MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said yesterday she received a handgun as Christmas gift from her husband after receiving a death threat from a “notorious” Cabinet member.
Santiago said over radio station dzXL that the gun was a Heckler & Koch, produced by a company of the same name, which specializes in small but powerful firearms.
She said her husband Narciso Jr., presidential adviser on revenue enhancement, decided to give her a “heavier” weapon as replacement for her existing one of lesser caliber. She provided no other details regarding her weapons.
Santiago claimed on Tuesday that the “notorious” Cabinet official was also behind a disqualification case filed against her before the Commission on Elections.
She vowed to name the Cabinet member upon the resumption of session in January. “With my parliamentary immunity, media can then freely identify him without facing libel charges,” Santiago said.
Unlikely
At Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he believes no member of the Cabinet is capable of threatening Santiago or has any reason to do so.
“Well, that’s the right of Senator Santiago. We have to respect her for that. For one thing, she is a good Senator, she is a lawyer, so I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. So let’s just await the developments as far as the subject is concerned,” Ermita said.
“I don’t see why any Cabinet member would ever think of that. But again, I don’t know who is the source of Senator Santiago,” Ermita said.
He also sees no need for additional security for Santiago unless she requests for it.
“Let’s just wait for the developments because in these cases, when I say there’s a need (for additional security) it might appear that I am already giving it credence,” Ermita said.
“But like I said, we hope that no member of the Cabinet would be able to think of doing such a thing,” he added.
‘Severe psychosis’
For a lawyer belonging to Muslim party-list group Ako Moro, Santiago’s allegations showed her paranoia and “severe psychosis.”
“Senator Santiago’s imagined death threats is truly a strong indication that she is indeed a paranoid, a determinative symptom of severe psychosis,” said Nombran Pangcoga.
Pangcoga, together with Sultan of Sulu Alipudin and Maguindanao party-list leader Jamel Mohammed Kadir, has filed a petition before the Comelec for the disqualification of Santiago from the senatorial race for being “of unsound mind.”
“Santiago’s pronouncement that she would identify the Cabinet member when session resumes next month clearly demonstrates her penchant to abuse her parliamentary immunity,” Pangcoga added.
“This is a public admission of fear and brazen abuse of her powers as a senator,” he said.
Pangcoga was executive assistant for Muslim Affairs of then Executive Secretary Rafael Salas.
“Senator Santiago is of unsound mind. She appears to be suffering from a severe mental disorder,” his disqualification petition with the Comelec read.
In the petition, Santiago has also been accused of nepotism and of “deliberately” failing to disclose fully her wealth and business interests.
“For many years, respondent (Santiago) was a rented apartment dweller until she suddenly acquired the La Vista mansion and occupied the same in June 2002. The value of this newly acquired property is grossly disproportionate to her salary as senator which, according to her, is P43,000 per month,” the petition showed.
Among her relatives in government are her brother Gen. Benjamin Defensor, former AFP chief of staff and now ambassador for counter-terrorism; sister Paula Defensor, Assistant Environment Secretary.
Pangcoga and his party-list group Ako Moro appealed to their “brothers in Mindanao to join them in their crusade against corruption, parliamentary abuses, and immorality in government.”
“We are calling on the entire Filipino nation to unite with us in weeding out notoriously undesirable public officials,” the group said. – With Marvin Sy and Delon Porcalla