‘I respect Sen. Santiago’s opposition to my confirmation’ —DSWD chief

DSWD Secretary Corazon ‘Dinky’ Soliman (red shirt). Photo courtesy of DSWD Facebook page.

MANILA — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon J. Soliman reiterated on Tuesday she maintains high admiration toward Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago despite the latter’s consistent opposition to her confirmation as DSWD chief.

“I respect the opposition of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago to my confirmation. I respect her legal opinion as a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA), as a senator and as a legal luminary. I believe that her opposition is based on principles that she stands by,” Soliman said.

She added that everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion and she is not bitter or adversarial because of the lady senator’s opposition to her confirmation for four years now.

It may be recalled that Soliman earlier appealed to the public and the media to “not pit Senator Santiago and [her] against each other.”

In her earlier statement, the DSWD chief emphasized that she has nothing ill to say about Senator Santiago, adding that she recognizes the right of the lawmaker “to perform her fiscalizing role.”

She likewise said that she, in fact, has been praying for the good health of Santiago and that she admires a lot the “independence of mind and determination of the lady senator to seek the truth.”

“Because of her diligence, the check and balance in our democracy is strengthened,” she noted. On Wednesday, the DSWD secretary will face one more time the Commission on Appointments for her confirmation before the sine die of Congress.