Santiago says her critics are cretins, paid hacks

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Tuesday said critics of her behavior at the impeachment court last week are either courtroom cretins or are part of a smear campaign against her.

Santiago has been criticized for berating members of the House prosecution panel, notably Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr., for apparently coming to the trial unprepared.

Private prosecutor Arthur Lim was also subjected to a tongue lashing from Santiago for a perceived challenge to her authority as a senator-judge.

During the trial Thursday, Lim was scolded for engaging Santiago in a colloquy, or discussion. When asked to confirm whether he specialized in maritime law, Lim answered he specialized in "everything," an answer that Santiago called impertinent.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzalez II said over dzBB Sunday that the members of the House should not be shamed on national television. "I hope they don't shout at us because we're not savages and we're also lawyers," he said.

Santiago, also on dzBB, said her critics were posturing in preparation for the 2013 elections.

In a press statement Tuesday, Santiago said she has been given "the TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) Award from the Philippine Jaycees, and the TOWNS (The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service) Award from the Philippine Lions, for excellence as a judge" and also taught at the UP College of Law "for some 10 years."

"By contrast, what is the record of actual courtroom experience of my enemies? If lawyers, most can only claim 'law experience,' but not 'trial experience.' Not every dimwit can claim 'trial practice,' which calls for the special rules on trial technique and procedure," Santiago said without naming a specific critic.

"I am aghast and postal that a party in litigation and the submental cretins who are my enemies have the gall to demand the power to control the personality of the judge. To educate the non-educable, it is the judge who controls the proceedings," she added.

Santiago also dismissed attacks on her mental health. "It always resurfaces when, in my crusade against corruption, I make enemies who are so filthy rich that they can hire an expensive PR firm specializing in dirty tricks," she said.

"On Sunday, while on the air, I was made to listen to an attack by a publicity-seeking senatorial candidate, and to malicious questions baiting me. On Monday, a columnist (known as a regular Malacañang apologist) used a fake letter trying to raise an issue about my mental health. And it goes on," she said.

She said she would no longer respond to questions on attacks against her, saying these might distract the public from the impeachment trial and might make her hypertension worse. She is currently on medical leave for hypertension. She attended the trial last week but was absent the week before that also due to hypertension.

"My enemies could deliberately provoke me with a personal attack that could lead me to further hypertension and a possible stroke, thus effectively removing me from the impeachment court," she said.

By Jonathan de Santos