‘Even if it is legal, is it moral?’

WHENEVER the Third Congress would suspend session on account of, say, the Christmas holidays or, in the observance of the Holy Week, Decoroso R. Rosales, then one of the five youngest members in the Upper House, would always find a way to spend the breaks in his old hometown, Calbayog City.

Elected senator in November, 1955, he enjoyed hobnobbing with provincial and city officials, as well as political supporters and relatives in the imposing family residence fronting the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The Rosales family is one of the biggest families in the province, with relatives in practically every town of Samar.

During the senator’s visits, we, his nephews and nieces, would form a beeline for making “ambe,” the Warays’ version of the traditional Filipino custom (“mano”) of taking the right hand of parents and elderly relatives to touch on their forehead as a sign of respect.

Our Tio Cosoy (the senator’s nickname) lived a life of high moral and religious standards, just as he demanded from his constituents that they practice the same. It was expected of him. His family had a high reputation for religious upbringing.

The late Cardinal Julio R. Rosales, the country’s second cardinal, was an elder brother, while Msgr. Basilio R. Rosales, who retired as parish priest of the Diocese of Calbayog, was a younger brother.

In one of those daily gatherings in their residence, the senator admonished his wealthy close relatives and moneyed supporters for their almost usurious rates in their money-lending business.

“But Cosoy, the rates we charge are government-prescribed,” insisted the town’s moneyed gentry.

“You may be charging legitimate and legal rates, but what you are doing can be immoral,” answered the legislator.

It was told that the local “Shylocks” were convinced to lower their rates.

If Senator Rosales were alive today, he would be the first to admonish Solicitor General Jose Calida to do what is morally right: Return the excessive allowances and honoraria he received from the government, and cancel his security service contracts that his family-owned company has with some government agencies.

The solgen’s stand against the allegations of irregularity is that “it is within the confines set by law.” The question the public is asking – “Are they moral?”

Any God-fearing public servant will have to think twice.