Drilon finally speaks – against ‘lousy’ lawmakers

By Alex P. Vidal

“I hate tests. It’s a really lousy way to judge a person’s ability.”—Bill Paxton

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)