EDITORIAL — Senators not acting like senators

Senators are supposed to be people the public look up to. However, as recent developments in our Senate show, many of them aren’t behaving like the statespersons and lawmakers they are supposed to be.

Some senators staged a coup just to protect one person and against what has become a matter of public interest. A bold move like that, involving one senator who has been in hiding for almost half a year suddenly resurfacing, surely has to do with the impeachment of the vice president. Never mind that their current leader says this wasn’t what they had in mind.

Some senators protected a fugitive from the law. One senator has a standing arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity. As a law-abiding citizen who is supposed to be an example for others, he should just submit himself to due process. But instead of helping him become this sterling example, other senators decided to protect him instead. We don’t have to say what kind of message this sends to the public.

Then a senator tried to fool the public that there was an imminent threat to the Senate when there actually wasn’t. He was adamant --even banging on the table to try and show his anger-- that the Senate was under attack. In all likelihood the so-called attack was just a diversion to allow someone to escape.

Then another senator actually helped smuggle a fugitive to his freedom. Yes, that senator said the fugitive left the Senate building using his car. We think that would actually open him up to charges for aiding a fugitive, but let’s see what happens.

We don’t have to mention which senator did what. Because of what they have posted online or said in front of the media, the people who they are.

When all is said and done, people will remember this episode as actually one of the more interesting and exciting moments in Philippine history. However, it will also be remembered as a shameful time when senators didn’t act like senators and when they put self-interest above that of the people.

Their behavior can also be seen as a textbook example of how senators shouldn’t behave and tell people who doesn’t deserve their vote in the next election.