No PLLO problem once Drilon is Senate chief

Senator Franklin Drilon cited the rift between recently resigned Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Secretary Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office

(PLLO), as among the reasons for President Aquino’s veto of many bills. Drilon said the lack of coordination between Enrile and Mamba was due to politics in Cagayan.

At first, we did not know what to make of Senator Drilon’s statement. But on second look, we came to the conclusion that President Aquino vetoed the bills because the PLLO could not ably relay to the Senate what the President wanted about the proposed laws. If there was anyone remiss here, it could not have been Enrile; after all, it is the Senate’s job to draft laws, and the inputs of Malacañang are merely recommendatory. Drilon seems to have forgotten that it is the PLLO that should coordinate with the Senate, not the other way around.

Well, this should no longer be a worry once Drilon takes over as Senate president, as there would be no need for coordination once the Palace gets to have its own man in the Senate presidency.

—CHELSEA ALONZO,

chelonzoid@yahoo.com