The Valet

Open-Ed: The Day of Reckoning

It has been five months of drama, suspense, anger and even reconciliation among feuding families but all things have to come to an end. In a couple of hours, the Senate as mandated by the Constitution of the Republic will give its verdict on Chief Justice Renato Corona. It could go for a conviction or an acquittal but in the end, it will be the main headline on all the news sites, broadsheets and social media. There are implications on what decision will be rendered as this is a political process but it is also achievement as well, that the trial was finished and a verdict was rendered. 

The impeachment trial of the Chief Justice started as a war between President Benigno Aquino III and his predecessor, former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo in a drive to sweep clean the government from corruption. Last year, the President lambasted the Chief Justice in a judicial summit for being to close to the former president and for sidelining her corruption cases. Within several days, P-Noy’s allies in the House of Representatives hurriedly passed an signed complaint which was immediately transmitted to the Senate. And like, a season of any drama series, the public stood at gaze with shock and awe at the events that transpired. 

From numerous land titles, secret bank accounts, a family feud running for over 30 years and the list went on and on and on. Both the prosecution and defense showed their cases to prove and disprove that the Chief Justice Corona was truthful in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) and his moral fitness being a judge of the highest court of the land. The saga yielded a temporary restraining order on his dollar accounts, a possible investigation on tax evasion and allegations of money laundering by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Ombudsman and even a possible traffic offense on a false plate on a borrowed SUV. 

During the trial, both sides made mistakes and gaffs for not being prepared or in the words of the presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile, “wasting the time of this court”. And there were laughs in the trial, on terms and words such as “culpa”, “palusot”, “wah!” that made the trial with a hint of comedy. But at the heart of it all, it will be a precedence that an impeachment followed through and finished through the end unlike the Estrada trial that led to a popular uprising and the constitution is still revered and works in the country. Whatever the verdict be rendered, it shall be debated for years to come by law students, politicians and historians. Yet, this trial will set standards for public officials to be accountable to themselves and the public, amends archaic laws and strengthen government agencies to fight crime and keep corruption at bay. 

The day of reckoning will although hurt some, it will be help shine light on the problems that needs to be tackled. Accountability, trust on the government will be renewed after all of this and it shall be a lesson that crime no matter how much it may be hidden, it will still come out in the open. And not only on civil servants but on us in the private sector, that accountability should be taken into account very well and loopholes in our laws not be perverted for the self-serving benefit. 

God is with us, 

The Valet

The Merger of Past and Present

Published on September 19, 2009, and looking back, it is a shame that I did not recall this wonderful article when it came to friends. But no matter, I am holding up in a better situation than in 2009, 2010 or 2011.

Since the start of the year, tensions simmered to the bottom zero that until the new players came in. With this in mind, groups and factions merged and dissolved. Now the new players have either move forward while others preferred the same old line-up. What done this mean, when a new player come in to a new environment, they want to make friends and connect with new people but later on they change into the persona of the good or the bad or if they are lucky stay the same. Now, all this end up in a creation of new ruling order and a new opposition. Now think this logically, if say there was a rift or misunderstanding between friends and comrades one will take it against the other thereby causing a conflict. Most conflicts occur on the misunderstandings and misinterpretation of one’s actions. Now there a rift and there’s backbiting, saying of other foulness on others and so on would lead into no resolution in sight unless there’s a miracle. Now say if this person wants restore ties properly they go through mediators which are either neutral or friends of both sides to be a bridge between the two sides. If there’s a resolution made or one, side helps the other then the problem is forgive and forget. There are three options on one’s table if the conflict is resolved:

a.) Restore ties and keep emotions intact.
b.) Restore ties with a knife at the back. 
c.) Restore ties and move to different sides.

To test one’s friendship and trust, a conflict occurs where one needs to choose their sides will show their true colors within them. In all this, it will go back to a problem unless the person causing the problem cease one’s actions or leave forever. In conclusion, there should be unity and friendship so that we will move on to a better tomorrow but if there is none, then I will predict many will perish unless this madness end. 

Will the friends of today, be the enemies of tomorrow?

This was published on September 20, 2009 on the topic of friendship, so I decided to post this so people can relate to it later on….

Have you ever thought of you, your friends and your enemies were all just laughing together on a table as friends even in the past? That makes me think everyday of why friends would one way or another turn on you. What then will occur? The friends you know and have even lived may be really your friends since day 1 or where only friends with you because of your prestige and wealth. Yes, life is harsh and everything that you planned won’t go your way. It is like a drama, you won’t know what will occur. One day you are okay, the next day it’s gone. Some people would just go away from their friends saying it’s a vacation but actually they are leaving you for good. Also another come into mind, thinking one day all people will just get along together not only as friends but as family. Yes it’s a dream but it can happen if there is will power. All people wish that they would eat, drink together on a table of friendship together but people try to hinder that from happening. It’s a 50/50 Question when you say that your friend will be an enemy if you play your cards wrong. In all this, stop the people from hindering reconciliation and friendship by moving forward than backward. Yes, it’s a struggle we all face in our lives but we can win it, together as one. My answer to the question is yes it will happen one way the other so pick your friends wisely or else. And it that happens well, let it happen. You cannot stop conflict but you can control the effects of it as person.