The difference between a convention center and a building
We felt some tinge of sympathy for Senator Nancy Binay, who looked like an unprotected sparrow, via national television, in her bold efforts to tangle in cross-examination with a veteran courtroom eagle in the person of Senate President Franklin Drilon. The first Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last Thursday was a microcosm of hard realities in parliamentary procedures. When the well-experienced lawyer questioned the materiality of her query, Drilon was, of course, referring to the admissibility of any fact that might come out of any answer to Her Honor's audacious interrogations.
It would have been better if it was Representative Abigail Binay of Makati, the lady senator's younger sister, who was interrogating the Senate president. For the representative is a lawyer. Senator Nancy, on the other hand, with due respect, has had neither courtroom experience nor any basic knowledge in parliamentary rules. But, it should be told here that the lady senator has gained some sympathy from the masses. For the people do love an underdog, especially a very simple and unsophisticated freshman member of the Upper Chamber who has the audacity and boldness to engage Drilon in a game that he mastered for decades.
In our previous columns, we have taken the position that Drilon is an honorable man. And we stand by that. We also took the positions that, guilty or not guilty, Vice President Jejomar Binay is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He should be tried in the proper forum, which is the Sandiganbayan. It is not the function of the Senate to judge him, not even of the people to pronounce him guilty, without examining the voluminous documents, and the transcript of court testimonies by witnesses who should be testifying under oaths before a fair and just and a constitutionally constituted body of expert jurists.
The difference between the Iloilo Convention Center and the Makati parking building is wide as the distance between Panay and Metro Manila. So also is the difference between a veteran parliamentarian as Drilon and a neophyte legislator like Senator Nancy. Which is precisely the reason why her dad, Vice President Binay, backed out of the debate with Senator Trillanes. For Trillanes made noises about his lack of experience. The wisdom in Jojo Binay made him avoid bullying a handsome soldier via national television. Drilon should have also been gentler with the way he replied to Binay. And Binay should have avoided directly wrestling with Drilon.
If such an uneven fight should continue, to our mind, the peoples' sympathy will most probably shift to Binay. If the Senate president would listen to an unsolicited advice, it will be a better option for him to treat the lady solon with the coolness of a Jovito Salonga, and not with the fire and ferocity of a Claro M. Recto, with the gentlemanly of a Lorenzo Tañada, not with the booming and thunderous voice of his late ''kasimanwa'' Senator Roding Ganzon. Drilon has always been a gentleman. He should not be losing his cool. This is a battle of wit, not a UP debate. The arena is the heart and minds of the people. Winning the debate is good but winning the peoples' support is what matters most.
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