Sex, jewels, withdrawals, and paid ads of the Senate

The history of sex in the Senate goes way back to as early as the 8th Congress during the stewardship of former Senate President Jovito Salonga.

During the 8th Congress, one of the Senate officials -- a distinguished and very much married Senator, was rumored to be having a hot affair with a pretty mestiza daughter of a fellow Senator.

Fellow solons having their own sexcapades were said to have pressured Senate President Salonga to resolve or at least look into the titillating issue because, apparently, the media was slowly unearthing their own sexual adventures.

One other Senator was rumored to enjoy honoring invitations as the guest of honor during fiestas because he liked dancing with the local beauties – or sophisticated barrio lasses.

The funny ending was that when confronted by the Senate President, the paramour Senator denied his affair with the Senatorial daughter. Then Senate President Salonga pulled the cat out of the bag when he told this Senator that the father-Senator already told him of the daughter’s admission of the senatorial love affair.

No committee hearings whatsoever were held. Instead, the Senate President requested the Senator-official to resign from his post and become one of the regular Senators.

There were also talks about this "ancient" Senator who was caught by the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, while doing his evening rounds, with a young lady more than half his age sitting on his lap.

Among the more sensational senatorial indiscretions was another granddaddy Senator who got a sexy elevator girl pregnant. This girl eventually gave birth to twins. The Senator gave the girl a house in his hometown to raise their children.

Then there was the "Brunei beauty" scandal and later the Senate Committee on Labor hearings chaired by Senator Jinggoy Estrada questioning the ages of the Guest Relations Officers (GROs) working along the Quezon Avenue red-light district. Nightclub managers testified and were asked to bring the birth certificates of their lady employees.

The shocker in this inquiry was a picture taken by one of Senator Jinggoy’s staffer through his mobile phone showing a girl barely 18 years old performing a sexual act in one of the questionable night spots.

Fast forward. Many are wagging and wondering why Senator Jamby Madrigal bothered to push through with the Hayden Kho-Katrina Halili hearing when the bill on voyeurism had in fact already been reported out and is already for deliberation in the plenary.

Then there are quarters dismayed over Senator Loren Legarda’s taking the Senate floor to help retrieve the lost jewels of her rich friends.

It is unfortunate that media selectiveness to cover only the most sensational of Senate activities creates an atmosphere for the Filipino people that the Senate is busy only with the Committee of the Whole who seems to be trying to pillory former Senate President Manny Villar, dipping its fingers in the useless sexual exploits of the Kho-Halili brouhaha, and searching for high society’s gold.


Then, like a thief in the night, comes the swift passage of House Resolution No. 1109.

“Have we no shame?” Rep. Teofisto ‘TG’ Guingona III (2nd District, Bukidnon) decried.

It certainly is a solace to the public that the Senate response was swift and unequivocal. Senators crossed partylines against this latest attempt of their House counterparts to railroad Charter amendments through a Con-Ass.

Amid the fracas, Senator Ping Lacson declared that he is withdrawing his presidential bid. Candidly, Senator Ping admitted that the May 2010 race is big financial challenge.

There are also speculations that by the end of the day, only three candidates will swing it out for the Presidency. This makes the Presidential campaign even more difficult because more votes will be needed to win unlike if there are more candidates where a lesser number of votes will be required.

The crowning glory to all these are the full-page advertisements in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, and Abante showcasing the sterling legislative achievements of the Senate under the watch of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Certainly a comfort to the electorate.

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