Times that try men’s souls

Posted on | January 28, 2010 | No Comments

REACTING to Wednesday’s headline about Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s claim that Sen. Manny Villar tried to bribe him to go easy on the investigation of the C-5 project, some observers asked, not without some humor, just how does one multi-billionaire bribe another multi-billionaire? It’s no secret that the Senate President is perhaps as rich as Villar, so, assuming his story is true, it couldn’t have been money he was being bribed with, said the pundits. Probably Villar promised to help him keep his Senate seat.

Sen. Joker Arroyo’s argument in his privilege speech, i.e., that Villar’s P200-million budget insertion for C-5 was discussed and approved at four different stages, was convincing to many listeners. Arroyo stressed that the issue went through the Senate finance committee where almost all the senators were members, then on to the plenary, the bicameral conference committee and finally back to the Senate floor for ratification. At every step of the way, said Arroyo, the chamber approved that insertion. Thus, if Villar was guilty, so were the other senators.

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The C-5 issue has been beaten to a pulp in the past two years, and the only question now is, how far Villar will be hurt by it. Dr. Jose Abueva, Kalayaan College president, opines that the issue could cut both ways: damage Villar or evoke tremendous public sympathy for him. But public interest may quickly move away from this issue, as Villar’s ally, Rep. Crispin Remulla, recently revealed a controversy that will doubtless be far more interesting, especially since the rival Liberal Party is campaigning on the theme of good vs. evil. Remulla spoke about the overpricing of 83 hectares of Hacienda Luisita and the role Noynoy Aquino allegedly played in getting the government to construct an interchange connection to Luisita from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) for free, whereas other companies in the South Expressway had to pay hundreds of millions for such right of way. The deal was cut in 2004, when the Aquinos were still good friends with the administration (President Corazon Aquino broke away from GMA in July 2005). Rumors from the NP campaign say it will build up a case showing how Noynoy tried to cover up a congressional investigation in 2006 into Luisita’s overpricing, with not so vague overtures of bribes to some colleagues.

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There’s a clamor for the Senate to address the contingency of a temporary vacuum in the country’s top leadership in case of a failure of the automated elections and Congress’ inability to proclaim the newly elected president and vice president by June 30. The latest to weigh in was the Inquirer, which proposed that both the Senate majority and minority come to a “gentleman’s agreement” that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who is running for reelection, would be returned to the post, assuming he wins in May. The Inquirer editorial obviously suggested this so that both sides, now bitterly locked in partisan battle, would come together and elect the leader who will remain in office beyond May 10 and succeed as official No. 3, as directed by the Constitution in case of vacancy in the top two national posts.

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The reaction from some senators was not encouraging. Enrile opined that it is the majority that elected him in November 2008 that should decide the issue of his staying, and not the minority. He also wants to address this contingency by having various leaders come together after the elections, in case automated election fails.

Enrile’s stand could use more logic. The election of a new Senate leader who is not running for reelection ought to be addressed by all the senators, not just the majority, and the best time is now, before a contingency occurs and while people can think clearly. Gathering leaders after the elections may be difficult as they could all be torn by partisan strife by then. Postponing the selection of a new Senate chief could be a formula for chaos which could invite military adventurism.

Holding a new Senate election after Enrile steps down calls for tremendous sacrifice and statesmanship from him. But these are times that try men’s souls. The other senators are also being asked to be prescient and realize the gravity of this contingency. It’s not, as Sen. Mar Roxas views it, merely to get Enrile out of the way in order to sweep the alleged Villar corruption charge under the rug.

By Belinda Olivares-Cunanan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:43:00 01/27/2010

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100127-249837/Times_that_try_men%92s_souls

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