A Field Trip to the Senate

Jess Lorenzo

I went to the senate yesterday partly proud that I would be witness to a first in our history where an impeachment would exact accountability from the Supreme Court Chief. Another part of me was emboldened because we were to support Cong. Bolet, a Kaya Natin Champion for good governance, who will be put on the witness stand for exposing the Dollar accounts of CJ Corona. I was also proud because I was with great people like Gov. Grace Padaca, Among Ed Panlilio, Mayor Jan Disomimba of Tamparan, Lanao del Sur, Gov. Roxette Lerias of Southern Leyte. With us were Kaya Natin Core members like myself, Marisa Lerias, Mae Paner, Fred Siy, Kai Pastores, Bing Franco, and Krz Lopez. We were like students constantly texting each other to meet by the senate lounge, excited about our field trip to history. Unfortunately, the trial was not what we expected. Cong. Bolet did not testify. And the trial grinded as Sen. Enrile took most of the time grilling two witnesses from the PS Bank. Past that, the other senators seemed to have jumped at the opportunity to dismiss any possibility that the public will see the genuine content of the dollar account. At this point, I was partly relieved that Cong Bolet would not be grilled. But we were frustrated that the questioning was going nowhere. In over two hours of his testimony, Garcia did not call the document a fake but cited 42 reasons why it is questionable. I felt he wanted the senators to be the one to call it false perhaps to avoid any responsibility. He kept on insisting, This cannot be a Xerox of the original. In her chance to be heard, Sen. Meriam called Cong. Bolet a criminal and hailed Tiongson for standing ground and not revealing the truth that could have ended all these. As she said this, I felt humiliated that I had this kind of a leader running my country. Sen. Arroyo somewhere in all these jumped to the conclusion that this was political harassment. While he was talking, I felt sorry. I watched him and

admired him when he defended the countrys integrity during Eraps impeachment. What could have happened to him? Old age? I remembered, Pag Bad ka, lagot ka. I asked myself, where is that now? As the bank continued to put in question Annex A, the defense led by Cuevas started cross examining Garcia creating the scene that somehow a leak came from the government. They slowly started to paint a conspiracy that the AMLC investigated them and somehow leaked the document. Senator TG questioned this but I was sad that the whole court did not dwell on this much. For a while, I thought truth had a chance. It was strange to me that the whole process was an effort to render all of these conspiracies and possibilities. At some point I felt that Annex A was an object that couldnt be technically called a fake but was none-the-less an inaccurate copy, and if it is true, was leaked by the government due to political harassment - that It is simply inconceivable that someone from the bank would leak the information. This sentence is difficult to comprehend. Everybody had a reason except the truth. It felt the truth was like an elephant in the room that everyone struggled not to see as if everyone was painting a dragon on the wall to distract me form the live elephant. I was seated next to Among Ed Panlilio in the gallery. Over one of the long minute breaks, I asked him what he would do if he were PS Bank President Garcia. We both struggled to understand his predicament and painted our own speculations and possibilities. You have a bank president that was trying hard to defend a bank and its shareholder interests. On one hand, If they admit they were the source of Annex A, it would mean that they would potentially face a gigantic law suit that they would most probably loose in the supreme court. On the other hand there is his integrity that would now be in question. We took turns answering and we saw how difficult the dilemma was. But we both agreed that it could have been a heroic moment for him. We concluded the same for Tiongson. Towards the latter part of the 4-hour movie, I felt sorry for the senators that they have to struggle to study late every night. For some I imagined they felt the frustration that all their effort becomes futile as the truth gets hammered down to something unrecognizable. For others, I felt their legacy fade away as they compromise from one acrobatic feat of questioning to another. I felt sorry for some of the lawyers who must be so spent trying so hard to

research night after night to argue, only to be shot down by whimsical or questionable presumptions. I felt sorry for the senator staffs that probably stay up all night as well making sure that these whimsical questions still look real and well thought off. It was somewhere here that I felt I am wasting my time. I felt tired, frustrated, and angry at the same time. Maybe its because I was trying hard to understand the wisdom of the process that is subverting the truth. It is simply beyond me. When Gov. Grace was interviewed, she said, Naisip ko ang ordinaryong mamamayan. Papaano kaya nila ito pinapanood? Huwag sana nilang ituring na ang paghahanap ng katotohanan ay nakakapagod. This was her appeal because this was what we all felt during our field trip to the Senate. Today, the truth was once again overcome. I texted some of those I knew in the prosecution after they had to appeal to go home early. I was there just one day. But I can only imagine the prolonged frustration and anger you must feel by now and thinking that there is more to go before this ends We continue to pray for you. I hope you can find comfort in thinking that we all look up to the things you do there. Your effort is heroic. Hang in there. Just like the previous articles, Truth and Grace have a way of letting itself be felt. We are with you. One of them, answered, Thank you for the kind words of support. We need to restore decency, honesty, and accountability in our institutions.
*You may also view Among Ed Panlilio and Gov. Grace Padaca's opinion at:

http://www.rappler.com/nation/80-special-coverage/1659-panlilio,-padacalament-slow-trial#.T0JTPPlZCdE.twitter
Jess Lorenzo is one of the core group members of the Kaya Natin Movement that promotes Good Governance & Ethical Leadership in the country. For more information on Kaya Natin, please visit: www.kayanatin.org