Valte on Miriam's ‘Fukushima’ remark: Not funny

Not funny. This was deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte’s reaction Tuesday to yet another one of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s many acerbic remarks – this time that the President’s legal advisors ought to be sent to Fukushima in Japan, where a quake-crippled nuclear plant has worsened the impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. In an interview with reporters Monday, Santiago blamed President Benigno Aquino III’s advisors for allowing him to push for the postponement of the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), originally set for August this year. “It is the fault of the President’s legal advisors. They should all be sent to Fukushima," she told reporters, referring to the Japanese prefecture where the ongoing nuclear accident occurred. The feisty senator has earlier criticized Aquino’s proposal as unconstitutional. (See: Miriam: ARMM poll postponement ‘unconstitutional’) Valte for her part chided Santiago, saying that the situation in Japan is so serious that it should not be used in an analogy. “Hindi naman po nakakatawa ‘yung sitwasyon ngayon sa Fukushima. Siguro po hindi naman po magandang gawin po nating example or analogy doon sa sitwasyon," she said. She also expressed hope that the senators will hear the sentiments of the people who were seeking for the poll postponement. Aside from Santiago, former senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and senators Francis Escudero, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and Juan Miguel Zubiri are against the ARMM polls’ postponement. (See: Bongbong: ‘Autonomous’ means ‘Palace keep off ARMM’ and Kaalyadong senador ni PNoy, tutol na ipagpaliban ang halalan sa ARMM) President Aquino had certified the ARMM postponement bill as urgent, leading the Lower House to allow the bill to breeze through 2nd and 3rd readings on one day, and to approve it by a 191-47 vote on Tuesday night. (See: House OKs bill postponing ARMM polls) “Siguro po mas mabuting the earlier it is passed, the better because we know that time-bound po ‘yung particular priority measure na ito," Valte said. (Maybe the earlier the bill is passed, the better because we know that that particular priority measure is time-bound.) "Mas mabuti po kasing malaman agad para hindi po magkaroon ng confusion at para hindi rin po magkaroon ng kasayangan doon sa resources that will be spent for preparing for the elections," she added. (it’s better that we know the decision soon to avoid confusion and waste of resources that will be spent for preparing for the elections.)—Amita O. Legaspi/JV/MRT, GMA News