Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday announced that she has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Santiago said her doctors have no idea what caused the cancer since she does not smoke nor drink. But the feisty senator is optimistic that she can return to work after 6 weeks, adding that she is even "excited" she has cancer. "I'm very excited. I'm not kidding. I said, 'Yes! I got cancer!' Because now, I'm entering another dimension of my life. That has always been my attitude," she said. "I don't know what the reaction of my enemies are. Maybe they'll be happy because, on one hand, I might die and they could get rid of me. But on the other hand, I might survive and I will get rid of them." ANC, July 2, 2014