Iggy and Kokoy, R. I. P.

I am sure many sat up upon reading the news that Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, had died in Manila Tuesday at age 81. The younger generation may no longer have an idea who “Kokoy” was, but those who were around about 50 years ago will remember him as the highly ubiquitous younger brother of Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who, during her powerful husband’s reign, became ambassador to the United States, Saudi Arabia, and China, and was also governor of their native province, Leyte.

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So influential was “Kokoy”, and so close was he to the Marcos couple that he became one of the most controversial officials during the Marcos heyday. To many, he also appeared to be the shock absorber of both Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos and their family. Isn’t it a strange coincidence? Kokoy dies, just a few days after another younger brother of another equally powerful couple, the late Congressman Iggy Arroyo, also passed away? That Kokoy, known as the man in white, died on Ash Wednesday, reinforces the reminder in the saying, “Sic transit mundit Gloria”, or “Everything in this world passes.” May his soul and also that of Iggy, rest in peace.

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But, of course, the death of Kokoy Romualdez is not expected to be as controversial as that of the late Congressman Iggy. The latest reports say that Iggy’s body will finally be brought home tomorrow, and that the two women fighting over his remains – both physical and material, if you know what I mean – have come to terms, and have agreed to be decent about it. And now that questions are being raised about the validity of the marriage of the second one, Aleli, there seems to be a contest for perception of the status of the two as far as the late congressman was concerned. On one hand, we have Aleli, whose wedding photo is being periodically on TV, and the other woman, Grace Ibuna, whose photo with Iggy where she looks like a Mater Dolorosa, a la Pieta, is also being exhibited.

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I missed the testimony of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima at the impeachment hearing yesterday, but reports later said she was the ideal witness, never rattled, answering straight to the point, and with all details at her fingertips. If all those called to the witness stand were like her, the trial will surely go faster, but everybody, especially with the damage-control teams of Corona et al at work, seems to be despairing that the impeachment trial will accomplish anything advantageous to the country. The high-powered and highly-motivated defense team of the embattled Chief Justice are surely brow-beating the prosecution congressmen who are no seasoned trial lawyers. Anyway, whatever the outcome, this column still believes Renato Corona, known as the Midnight Man of the Arroyo administration, will become just like Humpty Dumpty, after he fell from the wall.

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Now they are talking about mistrials, which, in the lingo of the courts, will mean that all the matters already taken up and all the scandals revealed will be of no effect. But is this possible in a special impeachment court that is supposed to be some kind of ad hoc body, meant for one purpose only? And isn’t the Senate-Court endowed with special powers so it does not have to hew to the rules of a regular courts?

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By the way, why are they allowing Sen. Miriam Santiago to always have her way and lambast the members of the prosecution at will? Even in the time allowed to speak, the Presiding Officer requires the rest to use only two minutes but La Miriam takes her sweet time emoting before the court – and the TV cameras, of course. Maybe the others are afraid to cross her and risk another of those hypertension spells she claims to be getting all the time.

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By the way, last night we had dinner at the residence of the very hospitable party host, Dr. Ver Lacson, and among his special guests were the members of The Angelos, the singing trio who are being compared to the famous Il Divo. We had a sampling of their talent last night and, indeed, the three young men are very talented. You could hear the typical pin drop as they rendered “You raise me up”. Well, those who want to listen to them can do so by attending the concert tonight titled “An Evening of Spiritual Indulgence” that is intended to promote the various shrines in the Bacolod Diocese. The concert will be held at the Bacolod Pavillon, and will start at 7 p.m.*

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