MIRIAM ON SC STRIKING DOWN PDAF: "THERE'S A GOD, AFTER ALL"

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, considered the constitutional law expert of the Senate, said upon learning of the Supreme Court decision declaring pork barrel to be unconstitutional: "There's a God, after all."

Santiago almost a year ago, got into a word war with then Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, because Enrile distributed some P2 M in Christmas bonuses to all senators, except his enemies, namely, Sen. Santiago, Sen. Antonio Trillanes III, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, and Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Santiago attacked Enrile's deliberate omission of his enemies from the Christmas bonuses, on the constitutional ground that it was a grave abuse of discretion.

In its decision yesterday, the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional the PDAF-related expenditures, including: "(d) all informal practices of similar import and effect, which the court similarly deems to be acts of grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of or excess of discretion."

Because of the verbal tussle over the Christmas bonus, Santiago was moved to request COA chair Grace Pulido Tan to investigate and make public a report on the disbursement of PDAF and similar discretionary funds, spurring the now notorious pork barrel scam starring the alleged mastermind Janet Napoles.

"Enrile's arrogance has now been declared as bluff and bluster by the Supreme Court. At the very least, he should offer to commit hara-kiri because this dishonor belongs to him," Santiago said.

After Enrile went on to defend the DAP, Santiago again rushed to the battlefield, arguing that the DAP is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its ruling on the DAP very soon.

"Enrile and I engaged in hand-to-hand combat in December 2012. He tried to bully me with the help of his attack dog, Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Thereafter, I fell ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and have been suffering the ailment for nearly a year. Getting sick over the pork barrel scandal was well worth it, now that the Supreme Court has validated my position. This is a vindication not only for me but also for the entire Filipino electorate," Santiago said.