Menace

I find it quite difficult to listen to senators nowadays. I am troubled by my suspicions that they are not telling the truth anymore.  I’m sure many would say, “That’s life Sara!” But I don’t believe we should accept things or give up just like that especially when honor and respect for leaders are questioned.

While watching a Senate inquiry or listening to a privilege speech (where a senator lambasts another senator) I feel sad. I actually feel hopeless because all they do is sour grape or castigate each other in public.  It is very humiliating and equally embarrassing for a citizen who loves his country dearly. 

How do you regard a senator who questions a ‘suspect’ or a ‘criminal’ when you know deep in your heart that this senator is a bigger criminal than the accused? The best thing these senators should do is to resign with dignity because their being in the Senate, surely doesn’t help the country at all. 

We all know who they are, don’t we?  I’m sure they know who they are too.  They are just being thick-faced, thick-skinned people acting like leeches sucking on the country’s resources. Many have come and gone.  They used to call them “buhayas” (crocodiles).  Now they are called “Decepticons” (from the famous movie Transformers).  The Decepticons led by that evil robot Megatron destroyed the world of the Transformers whose leader is Optimus Prime (an Autobot). In our country, we too have Autobots (the good ones) and Decepticons (the bad ones).

In other countries, officials of the land know when their time is up.  They know when to leave their office especially if they have been part of an alleged corruption case.  They know what is good for their country and that is to step down. 

There are many good things that can happen to our country when a public official steps down from office, if alleged to be part of a crime. First, it preserves the dignity of that person and saves the emotional problems that can beset his/ her family. You must protect your name and your family above all.   Second, almost all public officials say, “I am not guilty of any act”.  So, if you have not done anything wrong then let the courts decide. You do not need to make privilege speeches to defend yourself just to stay in power.  Let the system work.  Third, many reforms can be made without jeopardy caused by possible biases.

Times have truly changed. Our nation has not achieved moral ascendancy.  Many of our politicians continue to destroy the fabric of this country with malpractice – in other words corruption.  Even the act of governance can tell us how a person has moral ascendancy.  Politicians who contradict themselves show their true colors.  For instance, when former first lady, now Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos criticized the detention of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as “cruel” and “not human” act, a lot of people raised their eyebrows.  She must have totally forgotten what her husband did during martial law specifically to Ninoy Aquino? While Ninoy was in prison there were several instances when Marcos restricted the Aquino family in visiting him. What was she thinking of when she uttered such a statement? Susmariosep! Anyway, the list of government officials like Imelda goes on and on. Just observe several of our senators, congressmen and mayors today. There is no moral ascendancy left in their veins.

The recent accusations made against Juan Ponce Enrile in his alleged involvement in the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA); Sen. Bong Revilla’s privilege speech accusing Malacañang particularly the president and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas of making a deal with him on the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona; Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s tirade on COA Chairman Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan also during his privilege speech turned the tables back to him when Tan mentioned the call he made to ask for a Manila auditor to be replaced; exposés on how the Palace gave P50 million to each senator who sided with former Chief Justice Corona’s impeachment in 2012; Senate President Franklin Drilon receiving P100 million; Senator Francis Escudero, said to be a loyal Aquino ally getting P90 million; the alleged P85 billion worth of funds allegedly given away by Malacañang to congressmen under the DAP in 2011 and  P1.27 billion to senators  to ensure Corona’s ouster and to push for the enactment of the Sin Tax Law and the Reproductive Health Law which P-Noy zealously campaigned for; all these and other disclosures of alleged corrupt practices and the lack of good governance in the Aquino government show that indeed there is a decline of moral ascendancy.  Surmise to say that the officials in the past are almost all the same. And to this day no one has ever been jailed for corruption, inefficiency, gross misconduct or gross negligence.  They should actually be hanged to death for making this country poor. 

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Who is telling the truth? Is it Vhong Navarro, Deniece Cornejo or Cedric Lee? I heard Deniece’s lawyer, Atty. Howard Calleja requesting the public to limit or even stop the foul remarks made by netizens to his client.  Atty. Howard, how can you stop the public from talking?  You should advice your client to behave the way victims do.  She has a very pretty face but it seems to be covered by a hazy cloud. The public seems to see through her. This goes for Cedric as well.  Perhaps they project a certain body language that gives a wrong impression.  The stories they tell are not clear and consistent. Their past also seems to haunt them.  Vhong hasn’t really spoken yet that is why everyone seems to have reacted only to Deniece and Cedric’s statements. But even in some interviews it is very clear that he was tortured, physically violated and abused.  Deniece who claims to have been sexually abused has not shown any sign that she was indeed abused.  So, are you still wondering why there is such a loud public clamor for justice for Vhong Navarro? 

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in collaboration with SEAMEO INNOTECH, with financial support from Japan Funds-in-Trust, is convening an Experts’ Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific Region from 10-12 February 2014 at Edsa Shangri-la Manila, Mandaluyong City.

The meeting will focus on the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in developing countries and the role that education can play in adaptation to climate change. The meeting aims to further develop recommendations and develop a plan of action to promote education as an important means to enhance mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the context of sustainable development in countries from the Asia-Pacific region. It will also prepare the implementation of the Global Action Program on education for Sustainable Development after 2014.

“Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”— John 8:7