Fishing for the big fish

 Catching “Big Fish “ is never an accident. 

The reason the members of the opposition can’t catch the “Big Fish” is because they don’t think like fishermen. They may dream like fishermen and talk about the Big Fish that got away; namely President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but for all intents and purpose, lawyers and politicians are the last people you want to take fishing!

First they make too much noise so that by the time you’re ready to set down your line, they’ve already announced to “Nemo” that the amateurs are here to catch the “Big Fish”.

The next problem with lawyers and legislators is that they are “Incidental fishermen”. They only do it out of necessity, publicity and chance. They only go fishing because someone tips them off about a big fish in the water or because they have a client who hired them to sue a crook.

 Real Fishermen, whether those who do it for a living or figuratively speaking such as graft busters and cops, go fishing everyday based on years of dedication, experience and intent. Everyday is dedicated to one goal to catch a fish or catch a crook. The act and the purpose is constant regardless of the weather or public interest, or because someone’s paying the bill.

Fishermen are strategic. Contrary to common beliefs, they know what they are going after and they study the behavior of their intended catch. They know where to go, when to go, and what bait or equipment to use. Fishermen don’t walk around the mud feeling around for fish, those are farmers simply taking advantage of fish in the rice paddy.

Fishermen always use bait or a lure only big enough for the fish to swallow, so they always use a small fish or a small lure. They always use the fish or lure that attracts the most attention of their intended prey.

Most people think that the generic bait for fishing is a worm. If you want to catch ordinary crooks or ordinary fish, a “worm” usually does well. But once you go after a crook with a degree or a “Big Fish” or game fish for that matter, you will often have to start with something or someone who can stink like hell (i.e. a fellow crook or rotten squid) or shine like lightning in the water (i.e. an angel who wants to bring light into the pits of darkness)!

This is where the Opposition or members of the Senate make their first mistake. They always ask the small fry they catch, “Where’s the Big Fish?” They are too preoccupied with the “Big Fish” and fail to maximize the usefulness of the “small fish” in their hands. They examine, they toss and they turn the sardine in their congressional skillet while the media take their photos and videos. Then they apply legal and legislative skills not realizing that the “Big Fish” is watching the entire process. They did not become “Big Fish” by being stupid.

Any real fisherman will tell you that they like to use live bait like shrimp or small fish because they jerk around in distress once you place a hook on their side and place them in the water. This ultimately brings in the bigger fish for the kill. Any seasoned prosecutor will tell you that if you distress a small time crook long enough, they eventually lead you to the mastermind.

The problem with our Senate investigators is that they don’t look at the long-term prospect of patiently catching the “small fish” one at a time. For instance, the idea of going after the illegitimate recipients of money from the “Fertilizer fund scam” is brilliant because sooner or later someone will get distressed enough to start squealing like a pig on a stick.

The same thing partly happened in the ZTE scam but the investigators lost the fish on the line because they were too busy thinking of the “Big Fish”.

Our Senators and as well as law enforcers have to realize that after so many people get charged and land in jail for seemingly smaller crimes, more and more people would be unwilling to cooperate with corrupt government officials and politicians.

Sometimes the idea of catching the Big Fish is the Devil’s lie.

Every Sport Fisherman I know would really love to catch the huge Blue Marlin or Sailfish or whatever that they can preserve and hang on the wall as proof that they DID catch the “Big Fish”. But no one talks about how much money, time, preparation and years are invested before they even get their trophy.

No one talks about the hassle of sending the fish to the taxidermist, then to the frame maker. No one talks about all the fish meat that is wasted. But most of all no one tells you that catching the “Big Fish” is almost like hoping to hit the Lotto.

In the mean time the dream or the Devil’s lie has distracted us from catching all the smaller crooks or smaller fish that collectively would have done more to improve our society’s situation.

Sometimes you never catch the Big Fish…..but somebody else nails it.

Legend has it that somewhere in the waters of Padre Garcia, Quezon, there once lurked a giant Lapu-Lapu (Grouper) the size of Volkswagen Beetle. The “Big Fish” earned a very bad reputation for eating up the other fish in the area and scaring divers and fishermen. The “Big Fish” apparently got so hungry and so greedy that he started to chase after local swimmers (remember this is legend).

Well one day somebody got fed up with being chased by the giant Lapu-Lapu so he came back with a present. He brought a nice “fish offering” with a lot of bang! No one ever caught the Big Fish because no one ever saw him again.

Obviously small fish have a purpose.