Miriam is still hurting

It still rankles. Obviously, Senator Miriam Santiago still cannot, and will never accept that she had lost the presidency, and any mention of a political defeat can rouse her anger against anyone who gives a hint about it. When Vice President Jejomar Binay, defending the existence of political dynasties, said that those against it are the “perennial losers”, the senadora sprang on him, and declared that she had won in the voting, but lost in the counting.

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Whether Binay and family believe that or not, they don’t look as if they mind her, because surveys are showing that all their family members who have filed certificates of candidacy are doing well. So, unless Miriam et al are able to enact a law that would stop the dynasty members who are running now from proceeding, one must admit that dynasties will be here for a few more elections. By the way, isn’t Senator Santiago supposed to assume her new position as a member of the International Criminal Court already? Has she changed her mind, or has the ICJ?

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The police has announced that they have already gotten the other officials of the infamous Aman Futures to surrender, but what of it? The big fish himself, Manuel Amalilio, has gotten way, and only the small fry are left. But they must be holding just the proverbial empty bag, and that is no comfort to the victims of the scam who have reportedly been duped of some P12 billion by falling for Aman’s get-rich-quick scheme. And what about the Pagadian mayor, why has he been implicated? He says this is all political harassment, cooked up by his opponents. Well, time – that we hope won’t be too long – will tell.

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Speaking of politics and dynasties, is it true that there are 72 members of the Ampatuan clan, most bearing the same surnames, who are running for public office in the 2013 election? Does the number include the ones who are now under detention? With so many of them aiming for political power, what sort of threat could be hanging over Maguindanao and its neighboring government units? But maybe those family members are just biding their time. They know how slowly justice moves in this country, so they want to strengthen their hold on what used to be family territory until their patriarchs return. God have mercy on Maguindanao.

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Wasn’t that a shocking report about the discovery by the American Federal Bureau of Investigation of the blackmarket sales of priceless paintings by the masters by a former private secretary of former first lady Imelda Marcos? The secretary, who must have been assigned as the caretaker of the famous works of art, got tripped with the latest sale of painting by Renoir for – hold your breath - $32 million! And who knows how many more she and her relatives had been disposing of, thinking that the authorities had forgotten about them?

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Actually, Philippine agents had also been searching for the art works that include the paintings of such names as Rembrandt, Cezanne, Picasso, Van Gogh, and so many others. In fact, says a government official, they have accounted for several but about 134 more are still missing. And those are not private properties of the Marcoses, they were bought by the profligate former first lady with government funds. Now, if only the Philippine government can retrieve them all, what beautiful and precious additions they would be to local museums.

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Both government and private company workers will be dismayed to know that the Bureau of Internal Revenue is bent on collecting taxes from their Christmas bonuses and other perks. Why doesn’t the Big Boss of the BIR focus more on the perks and largesses of the top government officials and heads of corporations and money-making agencies? It would be cruel to pare down the small amounts that the lowly workers are getting. Don’t mar their holiday happiness, please.

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The newest member of the Supreme Court assumed office recently and was reportedly welcomed by the others. Former negotiator Marvic Leonen is certainly more fortunate than the one he followed in, now Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno who, until now, does not seem to have unfrozen the rest of the court. Suppose Leonen had come in before her? Maybe PNoy would have chosen him as CJ instead?*

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