Netizens ask: Who is Gigi Reyes?

Jessica “Gigi” Reyes

MANILA, Philippines—Who is Gigi Reyes?

It was not a trending topic, but tweets about Gigi Reyes on Wednesday day indicated an unusual interest on the person and background of the chief of staff of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“What’s Atty Gigi full name? I want to google her,” former Ms. International Aurora Pijuan tweeted, using her name @aupijuan.

“Who ba talaga si #GigiReyes?” tweeted user  @Selya Fortes said.

“Who is Gigi? COS?” asked user @momblogger.

“If Enrile can no longer function effectively as a senator so that he sends his chief of staff to do his work, why is he still in the senate?” tweeted @carlosconde.

In a privilege speech, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said Reyes, as Enrile’s chief of staff, had presided over some Senate meetings.

In the interpellation, Enrile said he would not “go to the gutter” to respond to Cayetano’s allegations.

“Haller, lampas gutter pa,” user @badassprof said.

“Haller abot septic tank,” reacted user @beareyno.

“Si #GigiReyes ba ang babae sa septic tank?” tweeted user @Markpawns.

A P37-million debt supposedly incurred long before digital became in vogue also enlivened the social media after Enrile reminded Cayetano about the unpaid loan.

The amount was allegedly loaned to Cayetano’s father, the late lawyer Renato “Compañero” Cayetano, who was Enrile’s partner in the Pecabar law firm.

“Low blow #JPE!” tweeted Vanessa Almirante  who used the handle @GoldGhost198.

“It’s just too foul, the house and the debts of a dead man. Too personal. Focus on issues #JPE,” tweeted user @oceanlicious25.

Cayetano, his sister Sen. Pia Cayetano and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV were allegedly behind the plot to oust Enrile. Another Enrile critic, Senator Miriam Santiago, did not attend the session upon her doctor’s order.

Bites from Cayetano’s privilege speech fed twitterverse under the hashtags #JPE #senate #acayetano #SenateTelenovela #cashgit #senatecoup #resignJPE. Spin-offs such as #GigiReyes came a little in the speech.

“Sorry but I really don’t get it why #JPE even had to bring up the late Sen. Rene Cayetano’s alleged debt to him. That’s not the issue here,” tweeted user   ‏@harveykeh.

“Watching the #JPE vs #ACayateno word war in youtube. #JPE, paurong na po ata pagtanda niyo? Sooo low blow!”  said @princessmaelove.

After all, you can’t spell “Enrile” without spelling “rile,” noted @bvergara.

“During the impeachment of Corona, JPE was a noble statesman but now he is acting like a douche from the Jersey shore!” said @buxomalex.

“Away dito! away don! away sa Senado!! ay ang gulo ng Pilipinas!!” said @idikzpoge.

“The Senate brawl was a diversion. And we all fell for it,” said @teddyboylocsin.

“Hi, I’m a Pinoy here in England. Saw the brawl of Samson and Goliath on TFC. Thank God Cleopatra did not join in. What a shame,” noted @smallville_nuel.

Enrile’s past debts were what @Munting_tinig saw. “Kung makasingil si JPE, eh kung ikaw ang singilin ng taumbayan sa mga pinag gagagawa mo since Martial Law?”

@Munting_tinig nailed it. Enrile was defense minister and martial law administrator during the Marcos years.

Incidentally on Wednesday, the bicameral conference committee on the human rights compensation bill for the victims of martial law also managed to reconcile the conflicting provisions.