What makes a good senatoriable?
There is much ado about the hastily-announced and apparently ill-conceived decision to include such characters as Mocha Uson and Harry Roque to the administration's senatorial lineup for 2019. It seems that, by considering Mocha as senatoriable, the PDP-Laban does not have any credible criteria for choosing for what the nation deserves to be at the very least, a senior legislator, with long experience and legal wisdom, statesmanship and a wide perspectives of global affairs and national issues. Just because one is a popular social media practitioner with millions of followers does not make one a senatoriable.
Senate President Koko Pimentel and Speaker Bebot Alvarez perhaps should contemplate on the predicament of a world class boxer Manny Pacquiao, being "imprisoned" in the august chambers, hallowed and holy, once occupied by such great and famous senators like Claro M. Recto, Jose W. Diokno, Jose P. Laurel, Lorenzo Tañada, Jovito Salonga, Arturo Tolentino, Ambrosio Padilla, Felimon and Vicente Sotto and Manuel L. Quezon and, why not, Ninoy Aquino. The PDP may have listened to Pacman, who is seriously contemplating to resign, visibly feeling bored, lost, and thinking himself of becoming irrelevant in the midst of many parliamentary protocols and legalistic gobbledygook. They need to interview Robert Jaworski, Eddie Ilarde, Freddie Webb, Lito Lapid and Ramon Revilla.
They need to ask these characters what significant accomplishments have they contributed to our country and people. And now, Mocha. Why not Boy Abunda (he is a brilliant doctorate degree holder), or Vice Ganda and Bebi Gandanghari? If our very competent and dedicated Senator Serge Osmeña was even defeated by such neophytes as Senators Gatchalian, Hontiveros and Villanueva, why Mocha?
If a good parliamentarian, an honorable and honest one, TJ Guingona was even edged out by Manny Pacquaio, why Uson?
Is blogging a national accomplishment? Are the members of followers indicative of parliamentary acumen? What is happening to our country, General?
And also General Bato? and even GMA? Why not Governor Gwen, or Noy Pabling Garcia who was a bar topnotcher?
"Oh, judgment," to quote Shakespeare, in Mark Anthony's speech on the death of his friend, and fellow senator, Caesar, "thou art fleed to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reasons."
Why is PDP too lacking in materials that they pick up any Tom, Dick or Harry with many blog followers? And Roque? Of course, he is a good lawyer, he is articulate and he seems to be better prepared than Hontiveros, Gatchalian, and Villanueva. But he is too green and not yet ripe for the senate. Maybe it is my fixation of senators being in the caliber of Sergio Osmeña Sr., Raul Manglapus, Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Camilo Osias, Eva Kalaw, Maria Katigbak and Tecla Ziga, Ramon Mitra, and Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Vicente Rama, and Manuel Briones and those who have the maturity, the track record, and the stature they have to earn through years of service to the nation.
I have nothing against Mocha, I truly like her and do believe in some of her advocacies. But never - as yet - as a senator of the republic. There are people who really are not for it. Not for now.
- Latest
