A party affair

Was it a slip of the tongue, or an utterance made without consideration of its serious repercussions? In last Thursday’s newspapers, Senator Panfilo Lacson was reported to have said he would shy away from the ongoing Senate hearings into the charges of high crime raised against him by Col. Victor Corpus because, Lacson supposedly said, it was a "party decision". What? Has the Senate probe turned into a party affair, no longer a matter of national interest where statesmanship, instead of political partisanship, is the senators’ guiding light?

* * *

If the Senate proceedings are now merely a skirmish between political parties, then the people have no reason to be optimistic that the truth will come out. For what will guide the senators in their so-called probe will not be the quest for truth but to put one over the other political party.

* * *

Political tactics and political maneuvering, as in the Estrada impeachment trial, will be what televiewers will see in their TV screens. While the proceedings at the Senate hall will be amusing and comic, many concerned citizens will be disturbed and saddened that today’s Senate is no longer the Senate of old where statesmen and nationalists really towered in the eyes and esteem of the people.

* * *

If Lacson did not think twice before divulging the reason behind his shying away from the Senate probe, other senators, too, opened their mouths precipitately, without analyzing their utterances’ repercussions. Look at how they immediately branded Ador Manaway as a liar, saying that he had lost all credibility. Now, how can they interrogate or throw questions at Mawanay during the Senate hearing, without giving rise to the impression that they are not out to ferret out the truth but merely to harass the witness?

* * *

What will pose Victor Corpus a big problem, as he testifies before the Senate committees, is his tendency to be transparent. Look at his unguarded statement last August 17 about "rotten eggs" in the judiciary, in media, even in the Senate. That threw the senators into what could be considered as a legitimate tantrum.

* * *

Feeling that they could be alluded to, and possibly even suspecting that they are targets of surveillance by the AFP intelligence community, the senators reacted with great emotion. They demanded that Corpus name names, something that could bring the AFP intelligence chief into hot waters. For how could he dare name names, unless he has incontrovertible evidence that they are really rotten? Corpus’ transparency, as in the case of the "rotten eggs" statement, could affect his credibility as the Senate probe progresses. Sana hindi, said a concerned texter.

* * *

Thanks a million, and God bless the following persons for lending a helping hand to the Good Samaritan Foundation:

* Ruel, who did not write down his family name, P1,500 (remitted through BPI)

* An unnamed donor who sent P1,000 (remitted through BPI) for the Siamese twins of Mrs. Pamela Dulay of Pangasinan

* * *

Virgilio Tuldanes is apparently a frequent visitor to Thailand. And he took the time and trouble to explain why Thailand has a booming tourist industry, a real haven for tourists. There, Tuldanes said, is peace and order. And at the international airport, Thai immigration officials are humble and respectful. There are also many amenities that give tourists a good impression of what Thailand offers to them.

* * *

Immediately after a tourist gets his baggage from the carousel, he can immediately take the risk-free airport buses and taxicabs whose drivers do not cheat or harass their passengers. There are also many ATM machines which operate even in the dead of night. And then, it takes only 30 minutes to downtown Bangkok from the airport.

* * *

Although their tourist attractions may not be as beautiful as ours, Thailand’s beaches are well-guarded and patrolled by Thai coast guard boats. And there are stiff punishments imposed on those who commit crimes against tourists. Above all, the Thai people are hospitable, said Tuldanes.

* * *

Tuldanes’ account of Thailand’s tourism amenities shows how far we have lagged behind in promoting the Philippine tourist industry. From the way we have neglected the job of boosting our tourism business, it seems we do not realize that tourism can be our No. 1 dollar-earner. Fully developed as a tourist destination, the Philippines can probably bring in more dollars than what the Overseas Filipino workers have been remitting to their homeland.

* * *

PULSEBEAT: Atty. Raul Luna, chief of staff of Senator Renato Cayetano wrote to explain why Compañero was absent at the August 17 hearing of the Senate committees on l’affaire Lacson. Compañero had mild pneumonia and Dr. Eduardo Jamora of Makati Medical Center advised Senator Cayetano to take a complete bed rest . . . Adriano L. Vergara of 124-B K-6th, Kamias, Quezon City, applied for his driver’s license on January 29, 2001. Up to now, after many follow-ups, his license has not been released. What the Land Transportation Office gave him was a temporary non-professional receipt, which has been extended to September 27, 2001 . . . Dianne Peralta, a biology student at the University of the Philippines and a resident of Cainta, Rizal, noticed that the needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are not being provided by the local government unit of Cainta. Yet, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, one of the biggest NGOs catering to PWDs, is located in Cainta. The main road leading to Cainta town proper has no sidewalk which PWDs can use. There are very few establishments that have facilities for PWDs. Paging Cainta Mayor Nick Felix.

* * *

Thoughts for Today:

Peace of mind is the greatest asset
we can have for happy, healthy living.
This is an inner victory which only
comes from knowing God intimately.

* * *

Life ends when you stop dreaming,
hope is lost when you stop believing,
and love fails when you stop caring.
So dream, believe and care . . .
Life is beautiful!

* * *

My e-mail addresses: <[email protected]> and <[email protected]>