Time to get down to business

What has been happening in the Senate in the past few weeks has certainly been the topic of conversation for many people. Instead of a powerful and cohesive branch of government that properly represents the people, and works diligently hand in hand to assure the public of good government, we have a group of individuals who are at each other’s throat and, in the midst of raised blood pressures all around, has not stopped publicly bickering for over a month.

It’s actually quite ridiculous and everyone at this point has definitely shared a laugh over the many insults and challenges that have been thrown back and forth. What concerns me though is that, even though their very public arguments are laughable and entertaining, what is not happening is their actual job. With the ongoing circus fiasco in the Senate, we are overlooking serious subjects and important issues that matter to the people and deserve their attention. Instead of solving problems that have remained unresolved in what seems like forever, they are still discussing “piracy,” inappropriate remarks, and questionable gifts. What began as a personal exchange of irritations between the Senate President and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on the “constitutionality” of cash gifts last holiday season has grown into a full-blown war that is seriously threatening the relevance of the Senate.

Sides are being drawn and all manner of insults and challenges are being thrown. In the long history of the Senate, petty disagreements have happened and Senators with personal differences or those from opposing parties have exchanged words every now and again and have butted heads when it came to decisions and policy, but the types of barbs that are being thrown these days are a first between Senators in a disagreement and it is getting really personal and below the belt.

It just makes it seem like when it comes to our government it is all an unending “ousting.” When one “ousting” is done, another has to begin. Everyone tuned in when President Aquino settled matters (and is still currently doing so) with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and they listened with the same bated breath when the trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona started. Now that those are over, eyes are turned to promises to oust Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. It’s so funny it is ridiculous, and as I said, it is causing the real problems to be pushed back to a later date.

Personally, I would rather see the Senate focus their attention and energy, and we all can see that they have a lot of energy, on things that matter more to the people. One of the things that I am referring to is the still unresolved Maguindanao Massacre that happened in November 2009 and has yet to see real justice. Perhaps people thought it would be impossible to get justice for this during GMA’s time, considering her close political ties to the suspects, but surely when Aquino took over, this matter would finally get the full attention it deserves, right?

Well, wrong. At least up to this point, the justice for the 58 people who were brutally killed in cold blood has yet to be served. How can such a tragedy just go on without any punishment? If not for the strong public interest in the case, it may just have disappeared altogether. It certainly seems improbable to not have enough evidence. There were even witnesses to the crime, although some of them have mysteriously disappeared over time. Granted it is a complicated case, with a lot of facets and a lot of information to go over, but making jokes that it could go on for 100-200 years is not at all reassuring for the families of the victims who really just want justice. And if it is so complicated and needs so much time and attention to go over all the details, why not do that then instead of just pushing it further and further down the to-do list?

In a recent article in a major daily, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys of last year reported that the one major area wherein the public has problems with the current administration is the “denial of justice” for the victims and families of those in the Maguindanao Massacre. This received a “poor” rating in the public’s satisfaction with the national government, and while the SWS leader usually claims to be a pro-administration pollster, he admitted that the lack of justice for this unspeakable crime is the wound that needs healing and will not stop festering until it gets it.

Another case that just went on and on forever was the case of our friend Bubby Dacer and his driver Alex Corbito, who were hijacked along South Superhighway, kidnapped, tortured, killed, and buried. Up to this point, the case has not been solved and the guilty parties are free to go about their lives as if nothing ever happened. Will this just remain forever an unsolved mystery? Will we just have to accept that justice will not be granted here and move on?

It saddens me because that just seems to be the case with the justice system here and the government does not seem to earnestly want to change that. People have lost so much faith over the years because they see cases going on and on without any end in sight. It gives those who would commit crimes confidence because they see that the odds are they won’t be caught or won’t be made to pay for their crimes. And it makes for embittered citizens who are just asking for what is right and being denied. Justice seems very hard to come by in the Philippines these days.

Much like the random shootings that occurred during New Year’s Eve. We have seen the father of the poor little girl who lost her life on television praying and hoping for a conclusion to his misery and for the person who killed his child to answer for his/her crime (accident or not), but as of now, the perpetrator has yet to be found and charged. They have already looked at four suspects and based on the news, there is a new suspect that they are eyeing. How long will this go on before we know for sure who it was and they are made to answer for the tragedy.

I’m sure there are many more cases like these and many more areas that need attention. I honestly believe that our government would be better served by focusing their sight on the issues that really matter to the people. They need to know that not only are their petty arguments bad for their own health (Senator Santiago is said to have suffered a mild stroke and Senator Enrile is constantly talking about his high blood pressure), but they are also bad for the people. They are losing faith and they are getting tired. It is time to put all of these differences aside and go back to work.