MANILA, Philippines – “Cockroaches, assholes!”
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago asked alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles if she hires paid hacks, blasting public relations officers who smear reputations and confuse issues.
During the Senate hearing on Thursday, November 7, Napoles said she knew nothing about the PR officers.
Santiago explained, “May mga press agent, cockroaches or assholes na nag-iikot sa media, nagbabayad para siraan ang mga kalaban ng boss nila o ipagtanggol ang boss nila. Binibili ang media, pati mga editor.”
(There are press agents, cockroaches or assholes who go around the media, paying journalists to attack the rivals of their bosses or protect their bosses. They buy the media, even editors.)
The senator said that the PR agents paid some journalists to focus on the administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) instead of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
Santiago named one of them as Jimmy Policarpio, more popularly known in media circles as “JimPol” or as “Jimmie” to other politicians and government officials.
Policarpio’s full name is Jose Jaime C. Policarpio Jr. He held a Cabinet rank and had served as Presidential Legislative Adviser and as head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office during the time of former president Joseph Estrada. As such, he interacted a lot with the media and was reported to be a political operator.
Funded PR campaigns
The senator also asked Napoles about Brian Yamsuan, who reportedly helped arrange the alleged mastermind’s interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Napoles said, “Ang asawa niya, kaibigan ng kaibigan ko, si Louie Cruz.” (His wife is the friend of a friend, Louie Cruz.” His wife Cathy was the Senate reporter of the Inquirer.
Santiago then pointed out that Brian Yamsuan was the assistant secretary of her former rival, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, “who also wanted to have me killed.”
“’Yung Brian, pine-pressure si Cathy sumulat ng masama sa akin,” she said. (Brian would force Cathy to write negative things about me.)
He is known to have served as consultant of Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa, too.
Santiago has long criticized PR practitioners and journalists allegedly paid to attack politicians. In her past speeches, she accused her archenemy Sen Juan Ponce Enrile and other rivals of funding PR campaigns against her, personal attacks included.
Curious about bloggers
Later, in a press conference held during a break from the hearing, Santiago asked blogger Noemi Dado (who introduced herself as @momblogger on Twitter) about how they make a living. Dado sought to ask Santiago whether she was afraid of Enrile, whom she had identified as “Tanda” (old).
But before Dado could state her question, Santiago interrupted her and asked, “Ang blogger ba, may hanapbuhay o wala?” (Do bloggers have a job or not?)
Dado said she writes. Santiago then asked, “I’m always wondering why there are so many bloggers. Does anyone pay you, people?”
Dado responded, “I’m now connected to the Philippine Online Chronicles so I work for them. I write. There are different bloggers. That’s going to be a very long session.”
There have been reported cases of bloggers being paid by advertisers – even companies pushing for certain products through them, and of some bloggers being on the take. This has caused confusion and raised questions about whether bloggers are also journalists.
Santiago pressed further, “You have advertisers, right?” Dado answered yes, and was only then able to ask her question about Enrile.
Santiago finally replied, “No, I’m not. If he asked me to go upstairs and stay in a room with him I would decline because he cannot go upstairs. I don’t want to be in a room with him. In other words, matanda na masyado iyan eh.” (He is too old.)
“Biruin mo matatakot ka sa sarili mo, may dala kang gwardiya na naka-assault rifle, ang haba eh. Sino namang aatake sa kanya sa Senate lounge. Ganun siya eh. ‘Di nga niya kaya ipagtanggol ang sarili niya, molestiyahin pa niya ako? Child molester iyan eh.”
(Imagine he is afraid, he brings along a guard with a long assault rifle. Who will attack him in the Senate lounge? That’s how he is. He cannot even protect himself and he will molest me? He is a child molester!)
While she is not familiar with bloggers, Santiago praised “the social media crowd.”
“I drew the conclusion that if Napoles says, “I don’t know,” she is hiding something. I hope the people will get that. The social media crowd will, because they’re intelligent. – Rappler.com
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