Keeping silent when it’s time to speak

Why are the non-lawyers in the Chamber lecturing the nation on matters of law and justice, while the true lawyers are keeping their mysterious silence? Why are senators Robinhood, Bato, Jinggoy, and Bong Revilla the ones telling us about the law? Where are the brilliant lawyers in the Senate? Are they being gagged? Or do they choose to deprive the nation of their legal wisdom?

There are two great weaknesses of men; to speak when it’s time to keep silent, and to keep silent when it’s time to speak. I’m taking to task those in positions of power and influence, those who have the knowledge and the wisdom but choose to hide in silence and indifference. The people are paying taxes for the salaries and benefits of these senators and congressmen so they can speak for the people. Their silence constitutes a continuing injustice against the people who put them in office. Their silence amidst the raging social and economic issues inflict a continuing damage to the nation.

I refer to the Three Legal Musketeers in the Senate: Angara, Cayetano, and Escudero, or ACE. They are my ideas of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis in the Philippine Senate with the subdued D'Artagnan being Senator Koko Pimentel. Where are they? They’re all silent and their silence is deafening. I take to task specifically, with all due respect, the legal luminaries in the Senate like former speaker of the House Alan Peter Cayetano, salutatorian of his class in Ateneo Law. And the champion debater from UP Diliman, Chiz Escudero, once a sterling parliamentarian. What’s the use of their legal minds if they’re not doing their job. They need to gently tell the other senators who aren’t lawyers that what they’re talking about involving legal issues violate all the tenets of law.

I also refer to Senator Sonny Angara who holds a master’s degree in Law from Harvard University. Sonny is the beneficial inheritor of the most famous Angara Law Office, the country's only law office that has produced no less than six senators: Ed Angara (the founder and father of Sonny), Raul Roco, Dick Gordon, Renato Compañero Cayetano (the late father of Pia and Alan Peter), the big Frank Drilon (what happened to him?), and Sonny Angara. Why are these legal geniuses silent while such characters as senators Robinhood, Raffy Tulfo, and Bato de la Rosa are lecturing the nation about law and legality? Robinhood is in charge of tinkering with the most important law of all, the Philippine Constitution. And these three legal stalwarts are watching in the peripheries with cruel indifference.

The once-talkative Alan Peter Cayetano, for the last 12 months, has virtually sealed his lips as if afraid of an insurmountable power from the Palace. He is accompanied in the Senate by his elder sister, Pia, who is also a brilliant lawyer but has kept a low profile. There are so many legal issues to tackle, and he is mum. There is a committee hearing on the Degamo murder case, and I didn’t see his face there. He allowed a non-lawyer to dominate a legal proceeding and deprived the nation of the expertise for which he was elected. All he is talking about is ?10,000 ayuda which isn’t even a legal matter, What's happening to the learned son of Compañero Rene? By keeping silent on many legal issues, Senator Alan is depriving the people of his much-needed legal wisdom.

Senator Chiz used to be the top-notch parliamentarian, the brilliant interpellator, the most eloquent debater in the halls of the plenary and in committee hearings. Now he has gone incognito. He has been silent on many vital legal issues where the Senate could have used his talent in legal analysis. This is a great disservice to Filipinos. Why is the Philippine Senate, led by a non-lawyer Senate president, with a majority leader who isn’t a lawyer either, marginalizing the true legal experts? Their main functions is to make laws.

If they don’t allow the lawyers in the Senate to give their two cents’ worth, or if they gag the true legal luminaries, then they aren’t faithful to their mandate as lawmakers. They should return their mandate to the people and go home to their provinces and do what they want. And the lawyers in the Senate should remember their oaths as members of the Bar and of the Senate. They should not allow politics to hinder the performance of their sworn duties.

Do we have to remind these legal geniuses of their basic duties and fundamental accountability to the people?