Filipino Senators Cannot be Trusted

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I used to write in my columns and blogs about Filipino Senators cannot be trusted in the passing of the law for the opening of our economy to foreign investors like what China, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam had done.

This economic strategy was a linchpin why these countries soared into progress while we Flips sulk for our lethargy where we have the pathetic export numbers in the Association of Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Economic liberalization will see our local industries compete with their foreign counterparts at the same time providing jobs to our people -where more than two million of them scampered abroad to eked out a living for the survival of their families. Many of them there are abused too by their employers.

Depiction of the death of Julius Caesar in the hands of Roman Senators.

The amendment of the Public Service Act despite being approved by the House of Representatives since the time of President Gloria Arroyo could not hurdle a Senate's imprimatur because many Senators - I surmised - who are seeking an expensive re-election or the election of their family members to the August Chamber succumbed to the lobby monies of big Filipino businessmen. These oligarchs are into aviation, telecommunication, malls, manufacturing, shipping, and whatchamacallit.

INDEED OUR SENATORS CANNOT BE TRUSTED. THANKS BUT NO THANKS TO THEIR AVARICE, UH, GREED.

Here's Max V. Soliven on why Senators can be treacherous, too.

"Remember the story of Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.) who was warned by an old soothsayer in the street: "Beware the Ides of March!" This soothsayer’s admonition was not a figment of William Shakespeare’s rich imagination, incorporated into the Bard’s famous play, but had been mentioned by several Roman writers, including Suetonius, Plutarch and Appian.

Caesar, knowing he was hated for his growing power, the suspicion he wanted to destroy the republic and proclaim himself king, actually hesitated to attend the Senate meeting that day, but was persuaded by Decimus Brutus to go.

On the way there this time we defer to Shakespeare, he spotted the same soothsayer. He told the old man, "well, the Ides of March have come." (Meaning, I suppose, okay, the deadline came, but nothing happened). To which the soothsayer replied: "Aye, Caesar – but not yet gone!"

Indeed, when Caesar walked into the Senate, the conspirators were waiting for him. The first to strike was Senator Tillius Cimber, who leaned forward towards Caesar as if to ask a question. Casca, a Senate tribune, closed in on him from behind, and drawing a dagger from under his toga, stabbed him under the throat. Cassius stabbed him in the face.

Marcos Brutus – not to be confused with Decimus – one of Caesar’s own protegés, pushed in and stabbed him in the groin. ("Et tu, Brute!" Caesar groaned – "you, too, Brutus!"). Brutus was even reputed to be Caesar’s illegitimate son. Thus, some writers – the "columnists" I suppose at that time – claim the dying Caesar’s last words were uttered in Greek – "kai su teknon!" –or "You, too, my child!" In any event, with 21 stab wounds, Caesar fell dead – ironically, it’s said, right in front of the statue of his mortal enemy, whom he had defeated, the late Pompey the Great (106-48 B.C.).

Some of his assassins had been Senators – like Cassius – whom he had "forgiven" and whose lives he had spared, despite their support for Pompey.

The late US President John F. Kennedy was right. He once said: "You can forgive your enemies, but you must never forget their names."

As for Senators, it’s no wonder, up to now, they can’t always be trusted. It’s not only in Caesar’s time that they couldn’t even trust each other.

READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:

Oligarchs Mga Amo' ng Senador sa Pinas?

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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.