No need for a
Divorce Bill

For the first time in months, the Justices of the Supreme Court were present at the Flag rites held Mondays, as required of all government offices and schools in the country. What is strange about their presence this time? Nobody said it outright, but it is believed to be due to the absence of their top official, the Chief Justice herself, who is said to be abroad. What about when she returns? Will they disappear from the scene again?

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But maybe Chief Justice Sereno will come home, bearing pasalubongs for them. If she arrives on the Feast of Epiphany, or the Feast of the Three Kings, maybe they will all come together in friendship and unity, in the spirit of Christmas. Will she appeal to them to “harden not your hearts”? And will they relent? That is something all the justices, judges and court employees are watching out for. Let us hope that they all hear the Christmas message of “Peace on earth, goodwill to men”. Amen.

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Speaking of the Three Kings, the media had picked three from among the people tagged by a whistleblower as their representation in the world of jueteng. The man who sang to the authorities about them is a mayor from Pangasinan who had a falling out with his former crony, and now has began singing like the proverbial canary. And he chose to serenade someone who has always been a confirmed nemesis of illegal gambling, retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz. Named by Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Orduña are former first gentleman Mike Arroyo, Pangasinan governor Amado Espino Jr., and DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno. I'm sure the “origs”, Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar, will object to the comparison.

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So Congress is also moving for the passage of a Divorce Bill? If they think about all the problems they had with the Reproductive Health Bill, they will probably think several times before starting it. I say, why don't they move to adopt the Muslim procedure which is much simpler? I believe that the man only has to say “I divorce you” three times, and it's over. Or let those who wish to get rid of their wives, convert. That's all.

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Will there be fireworks? What will happen in the Senate in case Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and the firebird Senator Miriam Santiago lock horns? Seems Enrile believes that La Miriam is going to be the leader of the coup that will oust him from his post. It looks as if JPE is not one who will just let Miriam's pronouncements pass, like some of the others she had stared down. The drama heightened when the senadora reportedly sent JPE a Christmas gift and he sent it back.

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From what have been reported as her reactions, Santiago sounds as if it will only take a little “cariño” to mollify the enraged Enrile. She was even reported saying that she will give him a kiss in public when they meet, but, to that, JPE was also quoted as saying that he is no hypocrite. During their exchanges, it was disclosed that Santiago used to be an assistant of Enrile when she was Justice Secretary. Apparently still miffed, the aging warrior of Philippine politics said he hired her because she seemed bright, although she had a “low grade” in the bar examination. Touché!

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That revelation, more than anything, will probably incense the senadora who is said to be touchy about that bar examination result. Some lawyers say that they had thought, being so audible and visible as a law student at the University of the Philippines, she would top the bar, or, at least, be among the Top Ten that year. Apparently that did not happen, because her grade was in the line of seven, lower than that of many of the students she used to terrorize when she was already teaching law at the U.P. Enrile surely knows where to aim his darts, where Miriam Santiago is concerned.

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Meanwhile, another woman politician is now encountering problems for allegedly deliberately withholding funds for the office of her co-worker. In the center of the case is the popular Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia, scion of the powerful clan in that province, who, apparently is at odds with her vice governor. Now the Sandigan Bayan has ordered her suspension, which, from the reports coming out yesterday, she has no intention of complying with. The vice governor has been named in acting capacity, but may not go to the governor's office, because the capitol has been barricaded. It will be interesting to know who will blink first in this case – the vice governor, the governor, the Department of Interior and Local Government, or even the President himself. And, Oh, have there been no TROs sought from the Supreme Court yet?*

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