SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS: A degenerate Senate

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 12 Feb) — Looking at most of the current members of the Philippines Senate and those who are likely to join the chamber after the midterm elections in May brings a mix of rage, despair and disbelief. One may wonder how we could endure wasting billions in people’s money on politicians who can contribute nothing to the enrichment of policy and political discourse.

This wasn’t the case in the good old days, yes, the good old days of luminaries like Jose Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada, Ninoy Aquino, Raul Manglapus, Jovito Salonga, and Claro M. Recto. Their brilliance, eloquence and statesmanship shone as a beacon of hope for a nation that was struggling to free itself from the lingering influences of a colonial past and feudal conditions.

The Senate, the opposition in particular, always stood up to Malacañang, and never faltered as the counterweight to whatever vile measures the Palace imposed or wished to impose. That’s why when Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law in 1972, Diokno and Aquino, along with other opposition leaders, were arrested. Diokno was released without charges, while Aquino was sentenced to death by firing squad for subversion, murder and illegal possession of firearms.

(Aquino’s sentence was handed down in 1977 by a military commission. In 1987, or four years after his assassination, the Supreme Court voided the decision, saying military tribunals had no jurisdiction over civilian law cases because civil courts were functioning at the time.)

In contrast, what we now have are senators wanting in talent, fortitude and sense of patriotism. Equally bad is the growing monopoly of Senate seats by dynasties—the siblings Alan Peter Cayetano and re-electionist Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar and son Mark Villar. The elder Villar’s term ends on June 30, but her daughter Camille is running for senator. The family patriarch, Manny Villar, was also a two-time senator.

If surveys are to be believed, Senator Raffy Tulfo will be joined in the next Congress by his brothers Ben and Erwin.

Abby Binay, sister of outgoing Senator Nancy Binay, has good chances of winning, too.

And, hold your breath, former senators Manny Pacquiao and Tito Sotto, re-electionists Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, as well as Willie Revillame are in the winning circle, according to the latest polls by Octa.

No, we won’t be entertained. We’ll be scammed and damned for our self-inflicted idiocy.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at boymords@mindanews.com.)