Drilon finally speaks— against ‘lousy’ lawmakers

“I hate tests. It's a really lousy way to judge a person's ability.”

—Bill Paxton

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WEEKS ago, we lamented the deplorable and embarrassing actuations of some senators and representatives participating in the most recent legislative committee investigations in the Philippines.

Either these senators verbally harassed the invited resource persons if they didn’t like the way they answered questions, or they displayed some shocking degree of irritation and arrogance while giving the resource persons the dressing down.

The “culprits” were the same characters known to be lacking the proper training and qualifications in the legislative works before being elected in the Senate and the House of Representatives owing to their obscure backgrounds.

Like the movie action stars, overrated media personalities, half-baked celebrities, and those endorsed by the religious cults, etcetera.

It’s evident they didn’t have the skills to participate in a formal committee investigation and, thus, have put the image and prestige of the Philippine legislature in a very dismal situation.

This happened during the Senate and House inquiries on the murder of a Pinay OFW in Kuwait, the Pamplona massacre, and the PNP cover-up of the P6.7-billion worth of shabu seized from a police sergeant, to mention only a few. 

Well, we are not alone in our observations and those of some netizens. 

 

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Even Ilonggo former senator Frank Drilon has expressed alarm that the “lack of decorum’’ of some of his former colleagues during those committee hearings “could inadvertently erode the chambers’ credibility and prestige.”

In fact, the damage has been done, if we ask some keen political observers equally upset by the embarrassing performances of these lawmakers during the committee hearings. 

Drilon’s fears only confirmed what we have been worrying about these past months.

Drilon pointed out how some of the current senators, “out of rage or frustration” when grilling resource persons during committee hearings, would openly blurt out expletives and “unparliamentary” language.

“I do not wish to comment on the individual conduct of senators but I am more concerned about the image of the Senate as an institution… and undeniably, the perception of the Senate by the public has been eroded by what we observed as a lack of proper decorum,” Drilon said, quoted by a Philippine national broadsheet on June 16.

“How effective one branch is would depend on the support that they have from the people. If the Senate loses its prestige, it weakens (as an institution) in so far as checking the Executive is concerned,” he added.

“The Senate leadership should make sure that the concept of checks and balances can be maintained. If you weaken the Senate, the Executive will run roughshod on other branches.”

We are excited to hear Drilon next lash at those responsible for the defective P680-million Ungka flyover project.

The alleged incompetence and graft and corruption by some DPWH bigwigs and their contractors are more alarming and sickening than the use of unparliamentary words by the lousy lawmakers.  

 

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A “FATHER’S DAY” also temporarily liberates neglectful fathers and philandering husbands from the shackles of guilt and enmity.

It briefly releases them from the cocoon of shame and embarrassment. Even if they have caused a boundless stigma and devastation to their families, their “angry” and “distressed” children, wives, mothers, sisters, including their inamoratas, will always remember and celebrate their good qualities and greet them even for one fleeting moment.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

Would Defensor and Treñas endorse Robredo without Drilon?

 “We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate.”

—Kin Hubbard

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

UNLIKE Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. and Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas, most local government unit (LGU) chief executives in the country still haven’t revealed their choices for president and vice president in the May 9, 2022 Philippine election.

Out of respect or fear for President Rodrigo Duterte, many of these LGU chief executives must be thinking “it’s still premature” to declare their preferences until after the final substitution of candidates on November 15.

Despite her repeated denials, there are still speculations that Duterte’s daughter, Sara Carpio, mayor of Davao City, will run for vice president under standard bearer, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., in the eleventh hour.

This gives some LGU chief executives the jitters.

If some of them will be in a hurry to endorse presidential candidates other than (or without waiting for the possible) Marcos-Carpio tandem, they might “earn Malacanang’s ire” and lose the pelfs and privileges during the campaign period. 

Like in the previous elections in the Philippines, incumbent governors and mayors who supported the administration candidates always received favors or special treatment for their “cooperation and loyalty.”

 

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Because of their relationship with opposition senator Franklin “Frank” Drilon, among other obvious reasons, Malacanang wouldn’t be surprised that Treñas and Defensor endorsed Vice President Leni Robredo.

Other than their personal friendship with Robredo (both Defensor and Treñas were the vice president’s former colleagues in the House of Representatives), Western Visayas has been known traditionally to be the bailiwick—but not the exclusive turf—of the opposition.

There were other possible principal factors why Defensor and Treñas couldn’t support Marcos aside from Drilon: Defensor’s father, former Governor Arthur “Art” Sr., was a key opposition stalwart as assemblyman in the defunct Batasang Pambansa when Bongbong’s late father, Ferdinand Sr., was president. 

Treñas’ late father, Efrain, was one of the country’s most respected and highly touted constitutional commissioners, who detested the strongman’s Martial Law rule in the 70’s.

Drilon’s involvement can only be accidental in the scenario. 

Even without the flamboyant senator from Molo district in Iloilo City, Treñas and Defensor would most certainly still be endorsing Robredo.

 

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AS we all feared since two months ago, Andrew Cuomo, former New York governor, has been charged with a misdemeanor sex crime for allegedly groping a woman at the state's Executive Mansion last year.

It was reported that Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state court system, has confirmed a misdemeanor complaint had been filed against Cuomo in a "sex crime" case in Albany City Court.

The complaint from the Albany County Sheriff's Office reportedly alleged that Cuomo committed the misdemeanor act of forcible touching at his official residence on the afternoon of Dec. 7 last year, between 3:51 p.m. and 4:07 p.m.

"At the aforesaid date time and location the defendant Andrew M. Cuomo did intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, forcibly place his hand under the blouse shirt of the victim [redacted] and into her intimate body part. Specifically, the victims (sic) left breast for the purposes of degrading and gratifying his sexual desires, all contrary to the provisions of the statute in such case made and provided," read the complaint.

The complaint reportedly cited evidence including cell phone records, state Capitol swipes, state police records and text messages from Cuomo's cell phone, while also pointing to some findings listed in New York Attorney General Letitia James' report, released Aug. 3 o a week before Cuomo announced he would be resigning.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo—Ed)