Such penchant for lapse of judgment calls

Still feeling the backlash of the cacophonous and gratingly divisive hue and cry over GMA's "lapse of judgment", one reflects on other lapses, as well.

One recalls the Nixon cover-up of the break-in for election dossier at the Democrats' Washington D.C. Watergate complex. A local picayunish variation was made by a certain Gary of Rep. Iggy Arroyo's staff, passing him off as GMA's "Hello Garci" phone pal. But lost in the din leading to GMA's turmoil, the sham front of Gary strangely fizzled out. That amateurish stab at spin-job had also been a judgment lapse?

In Cebuano colloquialism, the "lapse of judgment" loosely implies: "Nasipyat lang o nataligam-an lang"; "dili tinuyoan, ug way balhibong natagak"; "taphaw nga sayop, dili dakung lahap", and the like. In short, nothing serious, or life-sapping blunders.

Other similar GMA sidling lapses: One - letting FG Mike Arroyo and son Mikey go on "self-exile" to escape the "jueteng" heat, making their flight a tacit mea culpa; Two - allowing the entire First Family - except for sensible daughter Luli - to include the FG, two sons, in-laws, young tots, and their yayas, on a trip to China for a rompish peregrination.

Moreover, during the interment rites of Pope John Paul II in Rome, a plane was chartered to accommodate a motley coterie of "tag-alongs" in the junket. Wow, such lavish and grandiose gesture wasn't common even among well-heeled nations!

In her last USA sojourn, GMA ably chaired the UN Security Council and addressed its General Assembly. A lofty honor, indeed; but why allow an army of "cheerleaders" - 50 to 60 anti-impeachment lawmakers and LGU heads? That they personally spent for their peripatetic jaunt, any Juan snorts: "Tell that to the marines!"

Recently, Senator Gordon took GMA to task for her "transactional leadership" inre the unabated smuggling of motor vehicles at Subic. The Senator takes umbrage at the alleged Magsaysay linkage, as quid pro quo of Rep. Magsaysay's withdrawing his impeachment indorsement… Could this also be a lapse of judgment?

When Gen. Samuel Bagasin cried foul for being by-passed as head of the AFP Southcom by Gen. Edilberto Adan, GMA had to appease the former by promoting Bagasin to Deputy chief of Staff with an additional Lt. General star. Also a result of a lapse?

Topping the hit list could be either way, for or against GMA, in reference to National Security Adviser (NSA) Norberto Gonzales. Keeping him as NSA isn't just a lapse, but more of a blunder, for his lack of EQ, training and experience. For cabinet rank, one with pre-Med EQ and a skimpy course on national security could hardly hack it on such sensitive matters.

During the Senate "inquisition" akin to old England's infamous "star chamber" hot seat, Gonzales was a pathetic figure of ineptness. His feigned, or actual, ignorance about basic data on the Venable lobby contract he had signed for the RP no less, under nebulous authority and with such clumsy evasiveness in fielding questions, may deserve the contempt slap.

On the other hand, if Gonzales really acted as a fall guy, it means that GMA, again, had committed her usual "lapse of judgment", regardless of her unilateral cancellation of the contract for being "unnecessarily controversial", to use her words.

In decisive contrast, however, GMA's EO 464 isn't a lapse, but the needed self-defense against the overly abusive Senate in its "kangaroo court" inquisition - glossingly euphemized as "in aid of legislation" - which mercurial GMA aptly branded as "in aid of destabilization".