Cool under fire

With a vote of 115 to 77, the House of Representatives junked the impeachment of Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. – a historical moment that "writes finis (to) this sordid situation", said Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. who delivered an impassioned speech last Monday declaring that he would uphold the ruling of the Supreme Court.

What interested this columnist about the way the Speaker handled himself in demonstrating his leadership under a very difficult and trying moment in the history of our nation, was his transparency and willingness to listen to all sides as a facilitator of conflict transformation. He was cool under fire, and worked indefatigably in finding a just and honorable solution to the crisis even if he was being criticized by both "for" and "against" impeachment forces.

He humbled himself by using persuasion instead of just brushing aside the right of the minority congressmen who moved for the impeachment of the Supreme Court Chief Justice. But he kept his options open to exercise what was needed to be done at the proper time – and that was to override the wish of the recalcitrant minority by showing that he is the Speaker who calls the shots when what matters are on the line.

The nation was on tenterhooks, for had the impeachment complaint been filed with the Senate, who knows what dark and sinister chaos would ensue in the land? Not only would the Chief Justice be on trial; the whole Supreme Court, and all other government institutions would be flung into a torrent of mistrust and confusion. Could JDV succumb under pressure from one-third of the membership of Congress? He did not, and instead he declared that he was upholding the Supreme Court decision that the second impeachment complaint against Davide was uncon-stitutional.

De Venecia’s efforts as a facilitator –peacemaker in looking for a just and honorable solution to the crisis paid off. Democracy has been saved. There is peace – uncertain though it might seem – in the land.

By no means is the problem in Congress over. There is need to mend fences, to straighten things out, to define the grey areas in the separation of functions and powers of the three branches of government, for the legislators to work for the common good.

The next agenda of Congress will be the passage of the national budget.

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On the death of former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel, Perry Casapao (6th Air Traffic Control Class) of Los Angeles, Ca., e-mailed us that the reason the assault was started was that "operations are due to resume", and they needed to get the airport back in service.

For everybody’s information, Colonel Villaruel started the takeover‚ at midnight when there were no aircraft operations, not until 0400 in the morning anyway. He knew and he cared. He was thinking that in the four hours that the airport was idle, he had enough time to send his message and then surrender. No shots were fired by him or his companion. Nor were there warning shots from the killers, not even a freeze‚ or whatever is the term in the vernacular. Just a methodical, efficient slaughter. Some of us will label the colonel as a nut, or a patsy in a conspiracy gone awry. Others like me would like to think of him as a hero who in his sacrifice managed to make people think – the people, not the politicians – who are beyond hope.

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