Let us not be fooled by self- righteousness

KAT'S EYE
By KATRINA LEGARDA

I was supposed to write about another Soroptomist awardee this week, but I was moved to defer that because of the columns of Randy David and Winnie Monsod, published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last Saturday (February 16). What IS the truth? How do we judge? And is it necessary that a person be completely blameless, completely without sin, to be believed? Humans are so flawed – let me remind you just how flawed. You judge later what IS the truth? And do you want to know the truth? Are you prepared for it?


A husband comes home very late at night. His wife asks him where he has been. He tells her that he was working late, decided to go out for a drink with his colleagues, and they lost track of time. In fact, he was with his girlfriend. He knows that his wife suspects that he has another woman. His wife struggles with her suspicions, but decides to give him the benefit of the doubt; otherwise the life that she knows (the ideal, "we are so happy" life) will be destroyed. The husband lied: a big lie? A small lie? A convenient lie? The point is: all husbands who have mistresses are liars. When these husbands testify in court against former business partners relative to fraud in business dealings, should we believe them?

A child, suspected of breaking a precious crystal vase, is castigated by her mother. The child lies and says, "But it wasn't me!" (All of us have disclaimed fault at one time or other in our lives.) The same child is known to make up stories about fights she gets into, crayons she has taken from her classmates, and coins she has pocketed from her mother's handbag. The point is: all children learn the art of self-preservation very quickly. When this child complains that her father has sexually assaulted her, should we believe her?

You want to continue with the list? Wives who hide their extravagant purchases from their husbands; girlfriends who date their best friend's partners; parents who abuse their children; teachers who sexually harass their students; corrupt politicians who are holier-than-thou; lawyers who must defend even the indefensible; doctors who are in cahoots with the drug companies which affect what they prescribe to their patients; house help who steal; public utility vehicles drivers, especially taxi-drivers, who demand more than what is due; government employees who do not work the full 8-hour day; private employees who just watch the clock; business owners who do not pay a living wage and do not pay taxes; media people who do not report the other side of a story. As the inimitable Dr. House reiterates: "Everybody lies."

Just like Winnie Monsod, I was angry when Jun Lozada omitted to state that he went to see Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo last September 2007 long before Jun Lozada was considered by the Senate as a possible witness (note: he met with Senators Lacson and Madrigal only in December 2007). This is a malicious omission. But if you want to rationalize it, you can say he was angry and afraid and just wanted to hit back, the way he was being attacked by Senator Joker. The point is: Jun Lozada made it to appear to everyone who was listening, and he NEVER corrected this lie of omission, that Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo made him go to her house for the sole purpose of convincing him not to testify.

Jun Lozada is not an innocent in the dysfunctions and corruption of government contracts. You cannot be a whistle-blower unless you are a participant to the contract and its negotiation. Jun Lozada was the bagman of Neri, a man he still seeks to protect lest all his bank accounts be revealed and lost. Joey de Venecia wanted a powerful sponsor too, so he went to the president's brother for help, but because the president's brother was in Canada, Joey de Venecia was sent to Ricky Razon. I am sure, having an idea about how these things work, that Razon was supposed to tell him whether he had a chance in hell of getting his contract approved. Razon was NOT there to be his sponsor or his bagman. De Venecia had no intention of giving one cent to Razon. In short, everything was about the MONEY. Joey de Venecia and his backers and sponsors lost in the high stakes game of procurement. So he cried. And people forget that his contract price was $262 million. And yet he claims that the true cost of the contract was only $132 million. To whom was Joey de Venecia's padded cost going? $130 million din yun.

Randy David said all I have been trying to explain to hot-heads in his column last Saturday too. Those who want to take over the president's seat will be exactly like the president when they come to power. Let us not be fooled by self- righteousness. Let us come to discernment slowly, surely, wisely, with maturity. Any change we seek must endure, and that change must be for the better. To paraphrase Randy David, we must not go back to where we came from, and we must insist that our future leaders do not take on the ways of the old. Watch the moves for charter change. Don't allow yourself to be taken in. In 1987, we could have had a parliamentary system of government. Ironically, Atty. Fely Aquino Arroyo cast the one deciding vote against it during the deliberations of the Cory Aquino-constituted constitutional commission. Do not forget the past.