Joker: Arroyo should lead unity talks, quell word war

Senator Joker Arroyo on Wednesday said President Arroyo should lead reconciliation efforts among political leaders and veer away from aggravating political conflicts through public attacks against her critics. The President on Tuesday lashed at senators for allegedly wasting their resources on worthless investigations and neglecting their legislative duties in the process. She said the probes have accorded senators nothing but plenty of media coverage. Senators have hit back at the President, insisting that the investigations were part of their oversight functions and that Congress approved important legislations. Senator Arroyo said that as president of the country, "(Mrs. Arroyo) should lead [us] in unity, in reconciling [political leaders] because she is our leader." "She is the president of the Philippines, of the whole Philippines. Kami senador lang kami, actually, I am only one of 23 senators. The responsibility for unity [rests on the shoulders of] the president of the Philippines," he told GMA 7’s DZBB. He said if the president fails to unite warring political leaders of the country, "then we fail. Hindi lang siya, pati kaming lahat." He said all parties should "give way already," adding that the worsening political crisis continues to threaten the government's stability. "Nagmamatigasan eh. Ako hindi ko sinasabi na kasalanan lang ng Malacañang, may mga kasalanan din ang aking mga kasama. We should have unity. Madali lang naman iyon eh," he added. For his part, Senator Richard Gordon said the Senate's job description includes investigating government anomalies. "It is also the job of the Senate to promote free speech by serving as a forum for the people," Gordon said. He said senators are also tasked to make people aware of scandals and anomalies such as smuggling and corruption. "(But) people must be made aware, kailangan nilang malaman anong nangyayari. Kung di iimbestigahan, malalaman ba lahat ng katiwaliang nangyayari sa gobyerno?" he asked. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan denied that senators are as petty as Mrs. Arroyo alleged them to be, saying they would pass measures deemed as urgent. "Kung mabuti ang hinahangad, susuportahan namin ang mga panukalang batas na itinutulak ng Malacañang. Pero kung may questionable moves, tututulan naming ang mga ito. We will vote with our consciences, we will be responsible and we will push for reforms within the framework of the Constitution and the Rules of Law," Pangilinan said.-GMANews.TV