Do unto others?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The whole country was amused Wednesday at the incident during the hearing on the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, when senator-Judge Miriam Santiago went into her usual dramatics when she found out that one of the prosecution lawyers had been covering his ears while she was lecturing, and scolding the members of the prosecution team.

During her “sermon” where she was castigating the congressmen in the prosecution panel for their decision to drop five of the charges they had submitted for hearing, and ending the trial after presenting only three, the lawyer, Vitaliano Aguirre, had the temerity to refuse to listen to the righteousness and omniscience of Miriam Defensor Santiago, and, to the senadora from Iloilo, that is worse than a mortal sin.

Earlier, and during her peroration against the prosecution congressmen, Santiago had called them “gago (stupid)” and scored them for “lack of neuron activity”, during her lengthy discourse, complete with glaring eyes and pursing mouth, and the poor objects just sat silently, tolerating her. Even her fellow senator-judges dared not budge, even if it was clear that she was using up more time than any of them had ever been allowed.

But, for his defensive act of covering his ears, Aguirre was cited in contempt, and may be penalized by the Senate-court whose members had obviously ganged up on him for his disrespect.

Aguirre attempted to get a word in edgewise by saying that they should also be respected, but did anybody listen? Woe unto them who would go against the wishes of the Senate enfant terrible. They are apparently too afraid.

So, is there anyone who will dare call the attention of La Miriam when she demands respect for herself but yields it to nobody? As she herself said: WAH!*