The exchange of barbs between Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Miriam Santiago on the Senate floor is pathetic. Kulang na lang magsabunutan! Both of them deserve to be pilloried for such unparliamentary conduct.
Truth to tell, though, we do not care much about Senator Enrile. He is old and retiring. Soon he will be fading into the sunset. Let him have his last hurrah.
On the other hand, Senator Santiago is supposed to be on her way to a seat in the International Criminal Court in The Hague. What was she thinking? Was that any way for a would-be international court magistrate to behave? As a former trial judge, she should at least know some of the canons of judicial conduct: “[A] judge should so behave at all times as to promote public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary… should maintain order and proper decorum.” In other words, she should be the embodiment of sobriety.
But what a spectacle she makes every time she opens her mouth! What will the world think? That she is the best we’ve got? In terms of temper and temperament, Miriam puts “Yolanda” to shame!
—STEPHEN L. MONSANTO,
Monsanto Law Office,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City,
lexsquare.firm@gmail.com