Failed expectations, harmful obsession

The Senate is supposed to be the Upper House of the Legislative Department of our government. As envisioned by the framers of our Charter, it should be composed of erudite men and women of proven competence, probity, integrity, independence, and with adequate training and experience in statesmanship. It is the Chamber ensuring that the legislations churned out by the legislative mill of the Lower House are of high quality and for the best interest of our country and people. To be sure, it is considered as the training ground of future presidents as shown by the fact that during the early years of our Democratic Republic most of the candidates for President and Vice Presidents came from the Senate.

Unfortunately, as years pass by since we became an independent Republic, the quality of membership in the Upper House, and their legislative records have gradually deteriorated. At present, we have a reigning world boxing champion, former actors, media personalities, members of political dynasties and other people who can afford to “buy” their popularity and name recall needed to win in the election. While they may have the necessary qualification prescribed by our Constitution as a “natural born citizen, at least 35 years of age, able to read and write and a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the election” (Section 3 Article VI), it would have been much better for our country if they remained in the respective fields of endeavor where they excelled, so that others who are more qualified and competent can become and serve as Senators.

The on-going Senate investigation of the extrajudicial killings committed in the war against drugs evidently depicts the kind of Senators we now have. Very noticeable among them is the lack of independence and ability to discharge their duties as Senators. Most of them serve as lackeys of the incumbent President Rody who is so obsessed in eliminating the drug problem besetting our country for so many years now. Obviously, they are more concerned with defending Duterte and his questionable modes of fighting the drug problem instead of finding out whether the large number of suspected drug traffickers and users has been killed in accordance with the rule of law, for purposes of enacting remedial legislations if called for.

So far, the inquiry in aid of legislation now being conducted in the Senate has not really served its purpose. It has only exposed the lack of understanding by our Senators as to how they should conduct the investigation. Easily noticeable is the improper way some of them conduct the cross examination of witnesses particularly Edgar Matobato the selfconfessed killer who pointed to Duterte as the organizer of the Davao Death Squad. These Senators who belong to the super majority that supports Duterte in the Upper House, invariably base their questions on their own unfounded conclusions that the witness is pa-bago bago in his testimony. They already assume that the witness is flip flopping even without confronting him with the transcript of his previous testimony which is different and contrary to his present statement. Obviously they are intimidating and confusing the witness so that he and his testimony will be unbelievable.

More absurd and erroneous in this regard is their stance that Matobato is not immune from suit for admitting in his testimony that he himself is a member of the DDS who has killed 50 suspects on orders of Duterte. This is absurd and obviously wrong because they themselves claim that Matobato’s testimony is unbelievable. If this witness and his testimony is incredible, then his self confession of guilt is also incredible and cannot be the basis for prosecuting him. As one of them repeatedly says, “falsus in uno,

falsus in omnibus.” (If a testimony is false in any part, it is false in its entirety). Apparently, these Senators are also as inconsistent and contradictory as the witness they are impugning.

The attention of the super majority in the Senate should also be called regarding the flip flopping and contradictory statements of President Rody himself. In fact, Tatay Digong once more recently reversed himself regarding the alleged involvement of some Pangasinan officials in the illegal drug trafficking as shown in the drug matrix submitted to him. In fact on several occasions since he assumed office, he has also been issuing some confusing and contrasting statements that have to be explained and clarified by his spokesmen. Indeed this is one of Duterte’s traits that have endeared him to a lot of people. He can readily admit his mistakes and express regret about them.

In this connection, our Senators should emulate President Rody. They should now readily realize that their investigation in aid of legislation regarding the extrajudicial killings being carried out as part of the on-going war against prohibited drugs should already be stopped. It is just a waste of time and money and will not produce any fruitful result. They should just focus their attention on the many other problems besetting our country. Foremost among them is the war on poverty. Poverty has been a problem existing perhaps as long, if not longer than the drug menace. If poverty in this land can finally be eliminated perhaps the problem on drugs can likewise be solved. Hopefully, our officials especially our beloved President can finally see that this is the bigger problem that must be solved in order that the other problems we have, can be eliminated.

Let us not be so obsessed in solving our drug problem. It is just sowing so much division and hatred among our countrymen.

E- mail: attyjosesison@ gmail. com