Web of lies

All of us have our own personal secrets. I mean those secrets we do not want to show to others. These secrets may also be some unusual experiences we refuse to share with others or incidents we experienced, actions we took, or even utterances we made that we would rather keep to ourselves. For one reason or another, we do not want others to know. When we are confronted by events that demand the revelation of such secrets or circumstances that betray the real score, we, at times, re-invent the incident or re-word what we said to try to perpetuate the secret. Otherwise, we cannot help but unravel the truth, we only sigh “the truth will set us free.”

Repercussions of admitting the truth vary. Ordinary mortals whose secrets are eventually exposed only affect a handful such that nobody would seem to mind. But, the actions and pronouncements of high government officials impact the lives of citizens. It is thus understandable that when these are found to be untruthful, and the officer’s credibility becomes questionable, faith in the government gets eroded. Let me try some specifics.

As soon as the presidential proclamation nullifying the amnesty granted to Senator Trillanes was publicized, Trillanes accused the solicitor general of authorship. Trillanes claimed the government’s chief legal counsel was responsible for writing the proclamation. His ranting had some basis considering senate committee he headed was going to start investigating so-called conflict of interest.

What did we hear from the government lawyer? In front of national television, he denied any participation in the writing of the executive fiat. He contradicted the assertions of Trillanes. The presidential proclamation was not his handiwork. And I believed him. I could not distrust the state’s number one lawyer. His position demands absolute fidelity to the truth. But, at a later time, the president himself exposed the truth. From what the president said, it became obvious the lawyer lied. How then shall the nation take each time the top government lawyer opens his mouth?

There was another instance when a high-ranking official peddled very important information when the president disappeared from public view. Naturally, the situation was abnormal and rumors flew. The presidential spokesman was confronted with disturbing questions like if it was true the president was hospitalized. The press secretary answered in his usual assertive self. His graphic words were: “Absolutely no truth to it. He (the president) just took a day off.” The assurance coming from the official mouthpiece that the president was in good health calmed the nation’s anxiety. We believed him. But, again the president made his secretary a purveyor of false news after he revealed the truth that he went to the Cardinal Santos Memorial Medical Center upon his doctor’s advice, concomitantly, he exposed his spokesman was a liar.

When two of the country’s high-ranking officials tell our countrymen false information, we begin to ask how many times had they lied to us? Or worse, how many of our top government leaders are of similar mentality? Are we trapped in a web of lies? I am disturbed that with liars holding sensitive government positions, we can never be free.