With the passing of Secretary Jesse Robredo, a number of shrewd and unkind politicians must have learned their lessons in civility, fairness and public service.
It was quite surprising for Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to propose a trust fund for Robredo’s children and a pension for his wife. When she berated and humiliated Harvey Keh before the nation during the impeachment trial, she knew all along that Jesse was a cofounder of Kaya Natin. And not content with castigating Keh, she derided Kaya Natin. We did not hear any reaction from any of Kaya Natin’s cultured and refined founders, such as Secretary Robredo, former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo. How could they have felt?
And then the Commission on Appointments signified its intention to confirm Secretary Robredo’s appointment “posthumously.” Such plan was fittingly reacted to by Ramon Tulfo in his Aug. 25 column in Bandera. He said: “Mga ulol! Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo?” (Dumb fools! What good is the fodder when the horse is dead?)
Tulfo is undoubtedly aware of the requirements before an appointee is confirmed. Each and every member of the Commission on Appointments has conditions to impose before one is confirmed, such as employment, promotions, transfer or assignments of constituents and the like. Secretary Robredo was not one to readily accede to unjustifiable conditions.
Tulfo, in the same column, likewise contrasted Jesse with “a Metro Manila politician whose family owns half of the town they have ruled for decades, and who owns a huge farm in Batangas.” The same politician had been among those mentioned to replace Jesse. If Tulfo was referring to the person we have in mind, definitely, that person would not have fit into Jesse’s shoes.
—GERRY T. MAGLAYA,
guillermomaglaya@yahoo.com