Is Jessica Filipino?

I think I am as great a fan of Jessica Sanchez as any Pinoy out there, but let’s not go overboard in claiming her as our very own. Not only does she have a Mexican for a father but I understand that he, as well as she, is also an American citizen, as, most likely is her own mother, with her Filipino roots and all. So those groups reported to be planning all kinds of honors for her as a “Filipino, should ease down a bit.

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Let’s also remember that she has not even been to the Philippines, does not speak Tagalog or any dialect, does not even have any trace of Pinoy accent, and probably thinks of herself as an American citizen. Maybe, when she is an adult she might come to think of becoming a dual citizen, but I don’t believe she will ever consider this country as her home. Note that when she sang “God Bless America” at yesterday’s Memorial Day ceremonies in Washington D.C., she very fervently called it “My home, sweet home”?

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Indeed that was a great honor for her to be chosen to sing at the Memorial Day rites, which is a big, patriotic celebration that draws thousands to the American capitol and to the famous Arlington Cemetery where the heroes and the victims of wars fought by that country and buried. The observance is even more solemn than our own Rizal or Independence Day, because it honors the dead who had given up their lives in defense of their country. The same country that Jessica’s father is now serving as a member of its Navy.

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A few years ago, I was in Washington where we visited the famous Capitol Building, then proceeded to Arlington where the thousands of white crosses marking the graves mostly had been decorated with flowers as well as U.S. Flags. We were told that was because Memorial Day was nearing and thousands, maybe millions, were expected to visit the graves of their departed relatives, or just to tour the place, and maybe, like us, have their photos taken near the graves of former President John F. Kennedy and his glamorous wife, Jackie. That kind of atmosphere must have been there also last Sunday. And, who knows, the committees in charge must have chosen Jessica to sing their “National Anthem,” the “Prayer” and “America the Beautiful,” to remind her of who and what she is.

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And now for the NEWS of the day. Will the Court composed of the country’s senators who had been sitting as judges in the historic impeachment trial of a Supreme Court Chief Justice, finally proclaim its decision, as announced? The members, who will cast their votes on whether they believe Renato Corona is guilty or not of the charges against him, are supposed to justify their decisions one by one, for the entire country to know.

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This promises to be more exciting than any contest we have ever watched, since we will also be able to tally the pro and antis as they go along. Me. I have made my own guestimate, but can’t seem to come up with either 8 or 16, so far. So this is going to be some kind of countdown, or is it count-up? Anyway, by the end of the day, we should already know the verdict, and, most interestingly, how our senators voted. I wish I also know what the odds are in the betting that I am sure is also taking place.

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Probably the most exciting part of the trial we have been monitoring all these weeks now was yesterday’s session where both the defense and the prosecution wrapped up their cases. It was quite out-of-synch to hear the seemingly all-knowing Defense lawyer, former Justice Serafin Cuevas resort to “I am not aware” or “I was not aware”, or, even “Maybe I was absent when that was taken up in school”, to questions from Chief Judge Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. Lawyer Eduardo de los Angeles made a good try, but he lacked the fire and the flamboyance of some of his peers.

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House Speaker Felicisimo Belmonte astounded everyone with his closing statements. Rep. Neil Tupas somehow made up for his lackluster start in the hearing but Rep. Rudy Farinas, who did not even sign the impeachment complaint, more than made up to his colleagues when he uncovered most of the holes in Corona’s testimony. Who could help smirking when he pointed out that, if Corona’s story about saving up his dollars since the early 1960’s is true, he must have done so while still in Grade Four?

Ah, but we have only until the end of this day to know.*

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