Food for thought from Romulo, the statesman - JAYWALKER by Art A. Borjal

As so aptly observed by former Senator Alberto Romulo, one of the most highly-principled personages in our country, a man whose voice always rings with sincerity, conviction and integrity, our existing institutions are weak. This sad situation makes it so easy for those with evil ends to thwart the attainment of lofty goals, or to frustrate the search for what is true and just.

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If the state’s noblest goals are to be achieved, in a situation where existing institutions are weak, the leaders manning these institutions must be men of solid character, of impeccable integrity, without a cloud of doubt hanging over their heads. Unfortunately, this ideal situation does not exist. Many of the men and women heading these institutions have profiles that are not at all inspiring. In fact, some of them invite distrust and suspicion, because of their shadowy utterances and actuations.

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It is under this atmosphere that the senators-jurors are going to do their job in the Impeachment Trial of President Estrada. Which explains why, even now, there are no high hopes among the people that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth will surface in the Trial. This pessimism is anchored on the reality, so aptly stated by Senator Romulo, that our existing institutions are weak.

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Legally, it is the senators who are the judges or jurors in the Impeachment Trial. But in reality, the jurors and judges are the Filipino people who, despite their doubts and flickering hopes, are going to watch every aspect, and every episode, of this historic first in our country. At this stage, I have no idea whether the decision of the senators will jibe with the decision of the real jurors, the Filipino people.

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Many people who are knowledgeable with the technical aspects of the live coverage of events are asking Senator Raul Roco to push for a reconsideration of Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.’s decision to give only PTV 4, the government-owned TV channel, the prerogative of providing the live feed for the Impeachment Trial. The television cameras can be manipulated by the TV director in such a way as to send the wrong impressions on what are going on inside the Trial venue.

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For instance, the facial expressions of a witness, which could serve as a gauge of whether he or she is telling the truth or not, can be masked or hidden by the television camera. The director manning the TV lens can focus on some other face, or on some other corner of the trial venue, just to hide the facial expression from the televiewers.

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And here is a more recent example: That slapping incident at the House of Representatives, where the TV cameras caught San Juan Rep. Jose Mari Gonzalez slap the House sergeant-at-arms. If it were PTV 4 with the lone TV camera inside the House session hall, would that incident have been shown to the TV audience? And would that scene be played and replayed, over and over again, by the privately-owned TV networks, if only PTV 4 was allowed to have its camera inside the Batasan session hall?

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The entire Filipino people are the audience in the Impeachment Trial. Let us respect their right to watch the entire proceedings, from any angle, or from different vantage points, through the television cameras of the different major TV networks, under an atmosphere of creative competition. Hopefully, Senator Roco will succeed in getting rid of that proposal to have the government-owned television network, PTV 4, as the sole carrier of what is going on at the Impeachment Trial venue.

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The image of the senators as impartial and fair, as statesmen who cannot be manipulated by anyone, can be preserved and enhanced, if they remove any iota of doubt that something fishy is going on. That decision to make PTV 4 as the only carrier of the proceedings in the Impeachment Trial can needlessly create doubt and suspicion. Let this not be, for the sake of the senators-jurors.

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Let me thank the following kindhearted entities and individuals who, despite hard economic times, have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand to the Good Samaritan Foundation, in connection with "Operations Christmas Joy", a project aimed at bringing some cheer and joy, during this Christmas season, to the indigent children confined at the charity wards of hospitals:

* The Waitankung Morning Exercise Group in Speaker Perez, St., Quezon City, through the courtesy of Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco Sr., P2,000

* An anonymous donor, also through Dr. Chua Chiaco, P1,000

* Another anonymous donor from Quezon City, again through Dr. Chua Chiaco, P5,000

* Dr. & Dra. Jose C. Denoga, through the kindness of Dr. Chua Chiaco, P2,000

* "PENAFRANCIA", a business executive who is a devotee of Our Lady of Penafrancia, P10,000

* An anonymous lady from V. Luna, Quezon City, P3,000

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In connection with the effort of the Good Samaritan Foundation to give a helping hand to the poor people of Kalinga province, through young military officer, Capt. Conrad T. Dieza Jr., who is also the chairman and president of the Dur-as Kalinga Foundation, I would like to appeal for multivitamins, ascorbic acid, paracetamol, ambroxol, maleate, chloroquine, oresol, betadine solution, lindane, benadryl, salbutamol, crotamiton, mucosulvan, maleate, thyrax, rifampicin, INH, eltroxin, and iodized salt. These items are needed for the ongoing medical mission initiated by Capt. Dieza in the hamlets and villages of Kalinga.

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When battle-scarred Capt. Dieza dropped by my office several days ago, to pick up the P5,000 and assorted medicines that I had initially raised among kindhearted and generous Good Samaritans, the Philippine Military Academy graduate (Class 1992) handed over to me a listing of common illnesses among the people in Kalinga. The prevalent illnesses are coughing, headaches, goiter, colds, malaria, diarrhea, tuberculosis, asthma, scabies and allergies.

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If you have some of these medicines, which you no longer need, please contact my staffer Alex Dinoy, at Tel. Nos. 716-1399 and 716-1499, or at Unit 1-J RM Arcade, 80 R. Magsaysay Blvd., Quezon City, right beside UERM Memorial Medical Center. Thanks a million!

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Art A. Borjal’s e-mail address: <[email protected]>