Talk First, Think Later

Press Conference

The following day, Leni, Risa, Pia, and Kiko congregated around the long table in Risa's working office. As a neophyte senator, she's still navigating around the nuances of Senate politics and still has a lot of questions, hence her need to consult with some of the most experienced ones withing the minority bloc.

Once everyone has gathered around, Kiko initiated the conversation. "So you're telling me na may tao sa liderato na humaharang sa People Empowerment Bill?"

Leni nodded. "Naalala ko kasi ung kwento sa akin ni Risa when she sponsored the SOGIE Equality Bill before. Nag-schedule for interpellation, tapos biglang back out last minute. Minsan nga, wala sa calendar at all."

Kiko clasped his hands. "Is there anyone you have in mind who could be doing this?"

"Si Risa.", Leni deadpanned, causing the group to collapse into fits of laughter.

Laughs filled the air until Kiko continued. "Pero seryoso. Sino?"

Pia, Risa, and Leni gave each other a knowing glance, with Risa egging Pia on to spill the beans. "Kiko, you know my history with Loren, right? This is very important context."

Kiko sighed and looked up to the ceiling. "Yes, I know that very well."

Risa and Leni's eyes widened at each other before Risa continued. "Let's say she's...a bit too territorial towards Pia. Well, that plus the fact that's she's extremely insecure around Leni are the big ones."

After gathering a bit more information from the three women senators, Kiko threw in some advice. "Usually, Leni, you would talk this out with the senators in question on a personal level, then take it to the floor. But in this case, Loren has a thing of being very evasive pag siya na ang nadidiin, so this is the rare case that I would suggest to brief your MRO."

"Presscon?", Leni asked.

The three more veteran senators nodded their heads.

"Don't accuse her outright though. Do it as more of a general call to continue the debates on the bill, then drop names if asked."

Risa then intervened. "Honestly, just call her out straight away. Let her hear the message loud and clear."

Pia then offered herself to be her backup. "By the way, if you need any help sumalo in case Loren takes this to the floor, and you bet your ass she will, just give me the signal and I'll step in."

Leni thanked the three of them and proceeded to prepare for her next move.

—

The following morning, Leni stood at the podium at the Senate media room to talk to the press. Representatives from various media outfits laid down their mics to get as close to the source as possible.

Once the cameras rolled, Leni cleared her throat and began her statement. 

"Good morning to all. I would like to appeal to the Senate Leadership, specifically Senator Migz, Senator Loren, and Senator Sherwin, to continue the debates on the People Empowerment Bill.

It's been almost 2 weeks since I sponsored the bill on the floor. While I concede that there are numerous other priority bills on the legislative agenda that require our attention, I have noticed that there's a blatant attempt by the leadership to ensure that I don't do my job as a legislator effectively.

This is a clear sign of disrespect and power-tripping towards a neophyte senator like myself and a clear message that they'll use the position to twist someone's arm into not allowing bills that benefit the Filipino people turn into laws.

But I would like to address this statement to Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda. To give some background, the Senator from Antique has made it clear that she has personal vendetta against me ever since I stepped in the halls of the Senate.

She used the power she has at her disposal to ensure that I can't make laws and debate them on the floor. While this is par for the course in any political arena, what makes this even worse is when called out on it by multiple of our colleagues, she chooses to run away and sweep things under the rug as if nothing happened.

Like I said a few years ago, true leaders show up and man up, or in her case woman up. 

Unfortunately, her history of abstaining, inhibiting, or in many cases not showing up in session at all when the time comes to make a stand paint a bleak picture of the most senior Senator in this Congress.

I'm not here to ask her to step down or take further action. Whatever decision she may take upon hearing this is hers and hers alone, but I hope that whatever that may be, she gains the strength and fortitude to stand by her decisions.

Thank you very much. I will now take your questions."

A reporter from GMA-7 asked the first question. "Senator Leni, what makes you think that SP Pro Tempore Legada is behind all these moves?"

Leni gamely answered. "Because of the majority bloc senators, she's the one I have the most access to, since Sen. Risa and Sen. Pia are very close to her, kaya minsan we're in similar circles. May times where she would question bakit ako kasama and I don't know why."

The reporter then proceeded with a follow-up question. "So you think there's a personal grudge or as you said vendetta at play here?"

"Oo, kasi if it's just about the specific bill itself, kung against siya talaga, matatanggap ko pa, eh. But from our previous interactions both in the Senate and outside, it's very clear that whatever problem she has about me, very personal."

Another reporter from Rappler asked the next question. "You mentioned in your statement that Sen. Legarda has a history of evading controversial measures. Can you tell me more about that?"

Leni took a deep breath and brought printouts of legislative journals in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, plus some copies of news articles. "As you can see in this journal from the 17th Congress, during the vote on the resolution about the burial of Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, nasa roll call si Loren, pero nung botohan ng resolution, her name's not on the list.

Then back when the House voted on denying the ABS-CBN franchise. She was Deputy Speaker then, which is an ex-officio post and has powers to vote, she inhibited claiming conflict of interest.

Ung sa akin lang, anuman ung paninindigan niya sa mga bagay-bagay, sana kayang panindigan. Sa pulitika man or sa sarili niyang buhay."

Leni smirked upon concluding her answer. The rest of the press conference talked more about her legislative plans and the status of bills currently in her jurisdiction before wrapping up.

–

Meanwhile, inside her Senate office, Loren's in panic mode.

Her staff watched the live stream of Leni's press conference in stunned silence. With none of them responding to her repeated calls, she slammed the door to her office and for the first time in many years, wrote her own privilege speech.

Loren's fingers tapped her keys in a harried frenzy. Streams of consciousness flowed from her brain to the text document, as if writing a diary entry and not a speech to be delivered to a wider audience. 

After 30 or so pages thanks to the large font, she finished the draft of her speech. "To hell with complete staff work. Leni's not going to hear the end of this."