Winnie Monsod to Alan Peter Cayetano: 'You should resign'

PASAY CITY — Economist and former National Economic and Development Authority chief Winnie Monsod on Monday called on Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to resign, saying recent developments in the Senate reflect on his leadership.

“He should resign,” Monsod told reporters when asked what Cayetano should do.

Putting herself in Cayetano’s position, Monsod said she would consider stepping down if she were leading a Senate facing multiple issues.

“With so many things that have been happening, it’s a reflection of my leadership,” she said.

“In all good taste, in delicadeza, I should resign and say ‘maybe you should get a better leader, because obviously I’m not,’” she added.

Monsod also rejected claims that the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada was politically motivated.

“For them to say that Jinggoy Estrada was arrested so that the majority will become the minority, it’s so ridiculous. It makes idiots of the Filipino people,” she said.

Estrada surrendered Monday to the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with a plunder case involving alleged P573 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.

Monsod likewise expressed support for the Senate’s 11-member minority bloc.

“Certainly, I would like these people to become the majority,” she said.

“I hear now that Senate committees have not yet been formed because the Senate President is still busy doing whatever he’s not supposed to be doing. That's another waste of the people's money,” she further added,