Who's lying?

BOTH Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and former mayor Mike Rama submitted themselves to separate drug tests last week.

Rama submitted to a urine test and was found negative of illegal drugs. He also submitted his hair sample, results of which will be known in two weeks.

Osmeña only submitted a hair sample, but no urine test. Just ask the people who know better why he did not submit to a urine test.

*** After they took the drug tests separately, Osmeña said he and Rama will next take a lie detector test together, Asap, as soon as possible.

Osmeña challenged Rama to undergo a lie detector test to answer his alleged involvement in narco-politics, after he was named as a drug protector three months ago.

Rama was among the 159 local officials, judges and police whom President Rody Duterte named as drug protectors during a speech last Aug. 7 in Camp Panacan, Davao City.

*** Would the results of the highly unreliable lie detector test clear Rama of the drug protector tag President Duterte hung on his back?

The results could even compound the effects of the allegations if he performs poorly in the test.

But Osmeña has a piece of advice for Rama, most probably said in mischievous glee. “In the meantime, he (Rama) can practice his emotion control so that the needle will not jump.”

*** The lie detector test, however, will not tell us who's lying or who's telling the truth. It will only tell us who's the better liar.

We would soon learn who between the two has cultivated the art of lying which, Mark Twain said, is a virtue which “ought to be taught in the public schools--even in the newspapers.” “What chance has the ignorant uncultivated liar against the educated expert?”

Well, he said, “the Lie, as a recreation, a solace, a refuge in time of need, the fourth Grace, the tenth Muse, man's best and surest friend, is immortal, and cannot perish from the earth while Congress is in session.”