Senators fry, stew famous journalist

"Grandstand collapses, Scores Dead" -Headline. No, that's not the grandstand used by publicity-seeking politicians.

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A reader says: "Grandstanding among lawmakers would stop if the media would quit giving them publicity." No comment here.

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The famous and highly respected journalist Amando "Doro" Doronila has been appointed ambassador to the European Communities and the Council of the European Union. Did you know that until now his appointment has not yet been confirmed by the Commissions of Appointments?

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Doro failed to get past the first base in the Commission where like other appointees he got fried, stewed and chewed by the senators. He had a tough time at the hearings on his appointment. The CA members took turns in virtually insulting and embarrassing him.

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The tough time Doro had during the CA hearings was written about by Lynda Jumilla, an ABS-CBN correspondent covering the Senate, in the recent issue of the PJR Reports, a prestigious news-magazine published by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.

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According to Ms. Jumilla, "some CA member have expressed doubts if Doronila was qualified to assume such an important diplomatic posting." She adds that "much of these doubts can be attributed to Doronila's performance in the hearing." She described Doro's performance as "embarrassing."

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"Perhaps it was because of Doronilla's difficulty in verbally expressing his thoughts, especially to the acerbic Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and the blunt Sen. Sergio Osmeña III," said Ms. Jumilla. "Those who knew Doronila by reputation could hardly believe that this stammering, stuttering diplomat-to-be before them was the same eloquent, articulate journalist they read regularly in the papers."

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Doronila has proven once more that many, it not most of our highly-touted journalists could write beautiful prose but could not verbally express their thoughts like what happened to him the CA hearings. They're better read than heard.

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I remember my journalism professor Joe Bautista. He didn't have a gift of tongue but, oh, how he could write incisive editorials using elegant language for The Manila Times (pre-Martial Law) of which he was editor for many years. I doubt if he could get past the CA if he were an appointee.

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And there was Teddy Benigno of "Here's The Score" fame in the Philippine Star. I would rather read him than listen to him speak. Teddyman was one of the best columnists in the land. He had an enviable command of the English language. And French, too.

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Let me close today's piece with this text message from Bobit Avila: "Believe in your dreams not in your fears. Feed your faith & starve your doubts. Always remember tough times never last but tough people do! Good day and God bless!"