Santiago favors granting Aquino emergency powers but only for 6 months

“Iron Lady of Asia” Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago (Photo courtesy of @SenMiriam on Twitter)

MANILA –Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has no problem with granting the president with emergency powers to address the looming power crisis next year, only that she wants it to be limited for six months.

“I am in favor of granting emergency powers to President Aquino, and we have to give him the presumption of good faith,” Santiago said in a briefing Wednesday.

“Generally there is no emergency for one year. We give him the power, but only for six months or so, one year is too long of emergency powers of this nature,” Santiago added.

The senator also reiterated what he termed as the “lack of foresight” of the Committee of Energy in both houses.

“They should already have foreseen the possibility, lack of foresight. [It’s likely there will be a] price increase. That’s the price we have to pay for the lack of foresight,” she said.

Santiago also mentioned that there may not be enough time to build new power plants.

“We have to prevent the blackout,” she said.