Cherie Gil moments

In the 1985 movie “Bituing Walang Ningning,” Lavinia, a diva played by Cherie Gil, says this line to Dorina, her rival played by Sharon Cuneta: “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!” It’s a line that lovers of Tagalog movies in general, and Cherie Gil fans in particular, have memorized.

 I suppose that most of us dream about being able to say a line like this in real life to people who have hurt us or whom we dislike intensely. I call this the desire for Cherie Gil moments and I think that while not a lot of us would admit having this dream, people would say something melodramatic if given the chance.

I thought that Senator Antonio Trillanes was having his Cherie Gil moment when he said these words to the late Secretary Angelo Reyes: “If you are so concerned about your name, you should have fixed yourself while you were in office! This is the time of reckoning. You better find very good lawyers…You have no reputation to protect!” Senator Trillanes probably saw Secretary Reyes as among the men who kept him in jail and the chance to say those words, this time as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines investigating corruption, to his perceived tormentor, was too, well, juicy, to pass up.

The lines of Senator Trillanes would have been perfect had the scene been from a Tagalog movie or teleserye. Unfortunately, it was said in the context of a Senate investigation, the purpose of which is to ferret out facts from invited resource persons in order to help lawmakers craft laws that will presumably make life better for all of us. In less controversial issues, away from the glare of cameras, senators and other lawmakers manage to conduct investigations in aid of legislation without emotional outbursts. I still don’t know though if such investigations actually resulted in laws being passed.

In contrast, the recent Senate investigation about corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines has been a contest in grandstanding, with Senator Jinggoy Estrada, the son of a convicted plunderer (and himself not a stranger to corruption charges), and Senator Trillanes, a coup-plotter, playing the role of heroes as if they were in a movie. It was as if the truth would not come out unless the senators and their resource persons did not give loud performances worthy of an acting award.

With the suicide of Secretary Reyes, the belligerent stance of the Senate investigating committee has mellowed a bit. The hints and innuendos about the powerful person behind the General Carlos Garcia plea-bargaining scam that provided the impetus for the investigation continue to be just that—hints and innuendoes. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez looks like she’s not interested in doing her job. I’ve seen the State Prosecutors who handled the case glibly claiming that it was a weak case and that they had no choice but to agree to plea-bargaining. It seems like business as usual for everyone as soon as public attention on the issue will dissipate. We forget easily. I’d give it a few months.

Only Heidi Mendoza, the former Commission on Audit state auditor who testified about the AFP anomalies, appears to have a lot to lose. Support for her is growing but lauding her actions and even offering her and her family financial aid will not be enough to change the system she tried to fight. We’re quick to condemn corruption in government but are willing to put up with it if it means less inconvenience. Besides, how many of us would actually resist, or even just speak out, when faced with an obvious wrongdoing if it meant putting ourselves and our families at risk? My hope is that when we are confronted with corruption, we will at least try to have the courage to be second-rate, trying hard copycats of Heidi Mendoza.

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