Was there or
was there none?

Cheers to Comelec Commissioner Rex Borra. I saw in television at ANC Channel Thursday night his shouting match with a group calling itself "Kontra Daya." Angered by the group he shouted with the camera focused on him, "By intimidating us, you are corrupting the Commission."

I believe public officials must not be afraid of demonstrators. They should face them and, if necessary get into a shouting match with them.

Recently, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos got into a shouting match with another group of demonstrators where he accused Congress of sleeping on the bill to modernize the election.

Then, Sen. Dick Gordon came and also addressed the crowd when Abalos left. Gordon said, "Ang Comelec puro commission walang election." (Comelec is all commission, no election). Abalos should have been allowed to answer that statement.

***

I would like to thank my lawyer friend, Amado "Rematche" Parreño Jr. for his letter to the editor published yesterday. I got my own copy when I dropped by at 7 p.m. It's good it was published. I can see this will unleash some minor tempest in the law profession on the question of "dining and wining" lawyer voters in the IBP election. Today is IBP election.

And the question is "Was there or was there none?" I leave that to the lawyers to discuss and argue.

I just recall the Queen telling Hamlet in Shakespeare's work of the same title, while they were viewing a play, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Rematche protested too much on behalf of lawyers.

***

In the Negros Press Club whenever one claiming to be a leader came out in defense of media people against insinuations of foolishness, our common reaction has always been, "Ah, he is planning to run for a position in the coming election."

And our hunches on many occasions were proven right.

There is an IBP election today. But considering his stature and the many top posts he held at IBP, I don't think Rematche is contemplating to run. He is just standing for the lawyers.

Here's what he wrote in his letter. He was elected first IBP president here in 1973 beating, he said, two illustrious contenders for the position, the late Dean Arturo Villanueva Jr. and Atty. Eugenio Villanueva Jr.

***

He added the election committee to oversee the election was composed of three who later became Supreme Court Justices Nestor Alampay, Oscar Victoriano, and Cesar Climaco. I think Rematche slipped here. It was Rafael. Cesar was his brother, former mayor of Zamboanga.

He wrote, he was also elected the first IBP Governor for West Visayas. And he underlined the word, "Unopposed."

The first set of elected IBP Governors became great like Rematche who was appointed Bacolod mayor after the Edsa Revolution.

The first elected IBP Governors with him became, he said, Supreme Court Justice JBL Reyes, Senator Tecla San Andres-Ziga, Justice Secretary Melanio Singson, Ambassador Raul Goco, Cebu Governor Pablo Garcia, Davao Assemblyman Manuel Garcia, and Gov. Vicente Millorca.

***

I salute Rematche for his noble intention of standing behind all lawyers. In media, our style is different. If we want some scalawags denounced, we came out saying we have the most professional media people.

Then some people will say, that is not true because there were some bad eggs. So, it's not we who said bad things about our wayward colleagues but other people.

I know this may not be the purpose of Atty. Parreño. But bringing these out will make it a topic of discussion among the lawyers and the public asking whether there was or there was none.

You cannot fool the lawyers. They all know.

In the end, this will be good and will improve the law profession. Here we salute William Mirano, Andy Hagad, and Rematche Parreño. And Rematche especially for initiating it.

Today IBP Negros Occidental elects its officers. Rematche made a correct timing. And this will be the topic of discussion.

The front running candidate is his cousin Rudy Parreño. This will save Rudy the expenses.*

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