Imee-Martin feud escalates to next level

“Walang gamot sa kakapalan ng mukha mo.”

The ongoing feud between Senator Imee Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez seems to be escalating further as the former's Senate panel-led hearing began on Tuesday.

During the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation hearing into the alleged use of government funds for the signature drive for a people's initiative, Marcos, without directly mentioning the name of the Speaker, blasted government officials whom she said were behind the PI.

“Maaaring masaya tayo ngayon, dahil akala natin napagpahinga na natin ang usapin ng P.I. nila, pero hangga’t hindi natin ito naihihimlay, babangon po muli ito upang maging multo – nakakatakot!” she said.

(We may be happy today because we thought the issue with their PI had already been put to rest, but until we resolve this, it will continue to live on as a ghost. It is scary.)

“Panoorin natin ang isang maikling video ng karamdamang mabilis naipakalat na sa pamamagitan ng pantatanga sa kapwa, paglulustay ng salapi at pagsisinungaling ng matatakaw na opisyal,” she added.

(Let us watch a short video of a disease that spread through manipulations of others; spending of money; and the lies of greedy officials.)

She continued: “’Yang sakit na ‘yan ang papatay sa demokrasya at ang sinumang magsabi na walang paki ang Senado sa usapin na ito, isa lang ang masasabi ko, ‘Walang gamot sa kakapalan ng mukha mo.’”

(Such disease will kill democracy, and for those who would tell us that the Senate has no business on this issue, I only have one thing to say to you: There is no cure for your shamelessness.)

In a press briefing last week, Romualdez stressed that senators have no business on the issue regarding the PI.

“You [senators] have no business with people’s initiative. That is the job of the people. The job of Congress and senators is legislation. PI is the power of the people,” the House leader said.

He, likewise, denied a hand in the signature campaign for the people’s initiative that allegedly involved vote buying.

The Commission on Elections on Monday halted all the proceedings related to the people’s initiative, including the poll body’s acceptance of signatures in their local offices.

Earlier this week, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will appeal to the members of the House of Representatives and proponents of the people’s initiative to stop the controversial petition.