Pimentel apologizes; Roxas gets ice cream, cake

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

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MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas’ remark that it was a pity some men turn vulgar when they grow old may have worked.


On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. asked for forgiveness for using “intemperate language” during heated Senate debates on Monday on a resolution seeking to censure Sen. Manuel Villar over alleged “double insertions” in the controversial C-5 road budget.


Pimentel had said Roxas would have his own “insertions” now that he was married.


“To those who I might have hurt in this chamber by the use of intemperate language or unseemly expressions, I apologize and beg their forgiveness from You through You, O Lord,” Pimentel said as he led the chamber in its opening prayer.


To keep cool


He said that “in the heat, some of us tend to use words that are coarse and vulgar.”


“Forgive us, then, O Lord, our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us …”


Pimentel added: “Finally, we pray, Lord, You allow all of us to keep our cool so that we are not distracted by side issues.”


‘I will defend Korina’


Earlier, before the session began, a visibly miffed Roxas said that Pimentel owed his wife, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, an apology for the crude joke.


“There has been no apology and I don’t expect anything. I will defend my wife because her honor was trampled on and I will not allow that. But he does not need to apologize to me, he should apologize to her,” Roxas said.


Roxas added: “Kung kailan pa siya tumanda saka pa siya naging bastos (It’s a shame he became vulgar when he got old).”


Roxas is the Liberal Party vice presidential candidate. Villar is the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer.


Demand for apology


Monday’s debate took a combative turn when, commenting on Roxas’ statement that he had made no insertions in the national budget, Pimentel remarked: “After your marriage, you will have your insertions.”


Roxas burned at the remark and shouted: “I demand that that be removed from the record! This is an affront to my wife.”


In a separate exchange, also on Monday, with Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Pimentel had said: “At least, I am not an abused child.”


Senate demeaned


Akbayan party-list Rep. Riza Hontiveros, a Liberal Party senatorial candidate, said Pimentel’s joke demeaned the Senate proceedings and did not help his ally Villar at all.


“I am asking Senator Pimentel to apologize over his insertion joke. It was absolutely uncalled for, irrelevant, and it should not have been said at all, especially by a senator who has a well-respected reputation as a freedom fighter,” Hontiveros said.


“They can defend Senator Villar for all they want without being anti-women or without losing civility,” Hontiveros said.


No quarrel with Korina


Pimentel told reporters he had no intention of insulting Korina Sanchez when he made the quip about insertions.


“Certainly, that was not my intention … I have no quarrel with Korina. I have respect for her as a very able host of a popular TV show and a lady. I have nothing against her,” Pimentel said.


“So, I cannot apologize for something that I did not intend. Well, maybe if I was misunderstood then maybe I should apologize. But only up to that,” he said.


“But let me just make it clear, I have no quarrel with her. Why should I have a fight (with Korina),” he added.


Ice cream for Mar


Pimentel said his words should not be taken as an attack on women.


“My wife is a woman and my grandmother was a woman. I have four girls in my family so it’s impossible that it was a slur against women,” he added.


Roxas said Sanchez gave him a scoop of ice cream and a cake after he stood up for her on the Senate floor.
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It didn't exactly looked like Pimentel apologized to Korina. But it does seem like the argument at the senate is getting nasty.

You know what I would like to see? The senators throwing chairs at each other like in Taiwan. Now that would make for an interesting argument!