The nation couldn’t care less if there’s something wrong with Edwin Lacierda as a private person. But as the presidential spokesman, he doesn’t speak well of the presidency he is supposed to represent with carefully chosen words.
In the course of the ongoing controversy over Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, one of the lawyers of the former president came up with a statement that immediately became the talk of the nation. Ferdinand Topacio said he would give up one of his balls if Arroyo did not return to the country.
That was at a time when Arroyo still wanted to leave for medical treatment abroad. The concern at the time was that she was using her medical condition to flee what were at the time mere allegations against her. In a word, Topacio used his own balls as collateral for her return.
The Topacio statement made every newspaper and newscast in the country. One congressman, Neptali Gonzalez, even tried to do one better by laying his own neck on the line, literally, that President Aquino won’t be impeached over the Arroyo brouhaha.
Of course everybody knew this was all hyperbole and should have been taken for what it was. Apparently, however, Lacierda couldn’t sleep over it. He agonized over the Topacio statement and fretted and plotted on how to have his own say over the incident.
Well, it didn’t take long for the opportunity to come. After justice secretary Leila de Lima addressed a press conference following the issuance of an arrest warrant against Arroyo by the Regional Trial Court in Pasay City, Lacierda had himself inserted into the picture.
Reporters were informed Lacierda had a brief statement to make. And brief it was. Here’s what Lacierda said: “The warrant of arrest issued by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court allowed attorney Ferdie Topacio to keep his family jewels.” Then he left in a huff.
While some of the reporters laughed, the more discerning ones were stunned. And rightly so. Lacierda is presidential spokesman, not a woman scorned. But when he acted the way he did, he made it difficult for everyone to make the distinction.