SENATE, A VENUE OF PERSONAL PRIDE; A BEDROCK OF BITTER ARGUMENTS

Yesterday, I’ve had the chance of viewing live the senate session on TV. Senator Cayetano and Senator Enrile were on a huddle about the absence of Senator Villar to answer accusations on C-5 project; insertion of P200million, diversion of a road to benefit the land allegedly owned by the latter…etcetera; the one presiding was Senator Jinggoy.

I was amazed about the talents that these senators gallantly arguing each other on the issues against Senator Villar. There were a lot other terminologies which I am not quite familiar of but what I have understood is that the senate badly wanted the presence of Senator Villar to answer on the floor the accusations lodge against him. Senator Cayetano as he continually delivered his sponsorship speech was several times interpellated and was possibly was not able to deliver the substance of his sponsorship until finally he gave in to the ruling circumstance that thrive the senate hall into answering misinterpreted perceptions which was not meant to be had it been allowed Senator Cayetano to finish.

Ethically, the attitude of Senator Jambie, though she calmly stood up to defend her ego because her last name was mentioned by Senator Cayetano, but in the end, she erupted like a crying wolf about to eat a prey shouting “corruption!…corruption!…” with all bitterness of heart. Well, I cannot blame her for that. It was normal for a senator with all that egoistic altruism in herself shouting probably about the truth of the matter; while in fact, they were talking about “ethical order” in the senate.

Though I’m not an expert on senate orderliness, but I can say that the attitude of the senators as they argue among themselves was a kind of apparent display of self-pride and self-glorification. And in this behavioral essence, I was not able to find in their arguments the altruistic focus on the issue of great concern for the nation and instead it brought out, at the least, the hidden “heartaches” on their past events that they all kept in their hearts.

As Senator Cayetano was fairly explaining their sides, I felt something on the arguments of Senator Roxas and Senator Jambie a hidden tilt which obviously single out the ethics case of Senator Villar as if the latter is guilty as accused. Senator Cayetano gallantly defended the rights of Senator Villar as he continued to say that the senate is not yet an appropriate venue to discuss or deliberate the issue on Villar because it is election time and he believe that the senate at the moment cannot yet render an impartial proceeding because of the election. It was plain and simple. But the throw offs against Villar was the point of insistence creating speculative doubts on the credibility of Senator Villar.

I felt also that in that particular proceeding, Senator Villar has already been convicted of a crime; and the arguments of the Senators involve of crucifying him was directed to it, hence, the insistence. The disorderly behavior, as I see it, was a normal behavior of children fighting each other for a piece of lollipop!

It was not long after Senator Cayetano give in and with lots of apologizes ended his sponsorship speech in favor of Senator Joker Arroyo who gallantly questioned the whole proceedings. He sought the fairness of the senate to render an impartial judgment on the case and whether they can rally a 2/3 vote to impose what is constitutionally required to either suspend or expel a senate member.

It was Senator Arroyo who stroke the balance of arguments that heated out disorderly. He sought to resolve the matter precisely to clear an avenue of plenary argument that may take place after. But the Senate President promised to resolve the matter by today.

I can say that Senator Arroyo have splendidly plain the matter fully well making all the arguments presented earlier to have no great worth or lesser in value in terms of striking the balance of the playing field. For me, his speech has tremendous impact over those arguments. I can see that while all are fighting to reach a win-point , everybody has gone awry to the real objective of the matter which is the real subject as earlier presented in the plenary.

Without Senator Arroyo’s wisdom in the senate, everybody would have exercised the worst historic argument ever had because of a subject matter at hand which gone out of parametric balance.

However, I should say, what I have witnessed was the worth of it. And I plainly hope that the senators were able to realize that the whole plenary session  as they acted according to their own powers and authority rendered nothing but a zero-strike.

It was as it may, I still believe in the Congress. There are few good people in them that strike the balance in exercising the faith of the people by their own gallantry.

I just hope that the senators will just refrain from making the senate floor the venue of personal pride and bedrock of bitter arguments that has nothing to do with the welfare of the people and nation. I suggest they would just have to forget their own selves.