What would ‘compañero’ Rene Cayetano have done?

If former senator Rene “Compañero” Cayetano were alive today, would he be proud of what his son, Speaker Alan Peter Cayateno, is doing? Would he allow his son to throw away like garbage his word of honor so that he could hold on to the speakership? Would he agree to his son’s “kapit tuko” actions so that he could use the speakership as a platform for his ambition to become president? Would he admire his son for outmaneuvering his political opponent so that he does not have to comply with their gentleman’s agreement?

Or would the former host of the ABS-CBN talk show “Compañero y Compañera,” admonish his son, look him straight in the eye, and tell him, “Son, there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious, but one should not discard one’s palabra de honor”? Would Rene Cayetano rebuke his son and ask him whether what he is doing is in accordance with one of his mantras—“Just do what is right”?

RAFFY REY HIPOLITO, [email protected]