(photo: manila standard today.com)
Good thing Miriam came.
On
November 7, 2013, most of Northeastern Mindanao waited for the arrival of
Yolanda. She was forecast by the weather bureau as a Super Typhoon. Classes
were cancelled in all levels since the authorities abide to the warnings from
the higher ups. The decision left all of us stationed in our homes
contemplating on our safety.
Janet
then was aired on national TV at ten thirty or so. The Senate Blue Ribbon
Committee decided to subpoena her for an investigation in aid of legislation.
People sat in front of the TV and started to see what could have been a
lukewarm investigation. The looming threat of Yolanda was forgotten for some
hours as a surge of confusion and wrath simmered over the seemingly-lying Janet. The social networking sites were populated by
the comments of the netizens on how Janet looked – guilty!
It
was bland, the proceedings…especially her answers. Her manners were sometimes
corrected by the PAO lawyers provided for her. Her face, sans make up, revealed
an impassive expression.
Then,
the storm came…not Yolanda but Miriam.
I
started to have some kind of an adrenalin rush when she started her lecture on
“the right against self-incrimination”. It was loud and clear and
lawyerly. She then said to Janet: Let me
look at you. As an RTC judge, we were trained to know whether the witness is
lying or telling the truth by just looking at the expression!
There was some sort of a religious awe which enveloped the session hall as she
continued ranting on legal matters and all. I got a good laugh when she
queried: AND, WHO ARE YOU? Referring
to the PAO lawyers…
Some
were irked with her seeming personal vendetta over Senator Enrile which she
seems to insinuate as the godfather of the Pork Barrel Scam. But even with such
innuendos, she still sounded credible and reasonable.
I
take the senators’ words on the fact that that was the time when Napoles could
air her side. That avenue could clear her from the accusations bombarded to
her. But with her Hindi ko po alam, Wala
and the long silence, the people had their judgment on her. For how could
Benhur Luy and other whistleblowers recount the details of their transactions
while she feigned innocence on the matters discussed? Selective amnesia?
Whatever
happens, the people are still raging about the plunder committed by the
so-called public servants. After all the money shelled out by simple workers
through income tax, value-added tax and expanded value added tax, we have the
right to seethe with fiery storm inside our midst. We are even compelled to go
to the streets and flood the social media with our opinions… After all, this is
still a democratic country, right?
For
now, we are still holding on with our collective prayers that Yolanda would not
harm us. As a country, we are already castigated with political storms which
are making poverty somewhat like a natural calamity.
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