Hehehe. Lolz.

JUAN Ponce Enrile and Antonio Trillanes III have openly attacked each other with ammunition that could destroy both their careers.

Enrile says Trillanes is a traitor. Trillanes, in turn, claims Enrile’s discretion clearly favors former President Gloria Arroyo and her allies. By the way, both gentlemen are senators of the Republic.

They are the guys who the public voted for in the hopes that they would make our lives better; though we know all too well that some misgivings will be there along the way, given that they’re but humans with some vulnerability like all of us. We can likewise forgive them for not behaving in the manner defined by decorum and statesmanship; some can’t help but allow emotions rule over wisdom.

But as senators, washing dirty linens in public isn’t one of those tendencies we can readily dismiss. It’s disappointing, confusing and regretfully disgusting.

The fracas stems from Trillanes’s involvement in the Philippines’ negotiations with China concerning the Panatag Shoal, even as the senator flaunts his “invaluable” contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict between the countries.

Trillanes even criticized Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario on the way the latter handled the dispute with China that almost got us into an armed dispute; at least that is how the senator sees it. Short of saying that he, Trillanes, deserves the praises in successfully getting us out of potential war. But, come to think of it, we got out of the Panatag Shoal, thanks to him.

Enrile, quick to undermine the self-exultation, claims that the former Navy lieutenant’s backdoor channeling involved some very compromising ends for the Philippines. Documents obtained from Ambassador Sonia Brady suggest how Trillanes made Chinese leaders believe that the country does not really have interest on the Shoal since it lacks the capability to protect its waters.

That, by itself, is unpatriotic especially coming from a senator and a former Navy officer whose vow is to protect the interest of the country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Yes, even in pursuit of peace, you do not sell off your country.

But Enrile’s tirade would’ve been genuine “pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa,” had it not for the fact that Trillanes had just bolted the majority amid speculations that a “coup d’ etat” was in the offing to oust the senate president. Clearly, there is more to the exchange than righteousness; personal convenience being the obvious justification.

This is how our leaders behave, how they decide things, how they defend their turf and how they discharge their duties as Senators. But they got there because we decided to, via our right to suffrage.

And be it misused or abused, that right puts people in power, giving them much leg room to do basically what they want, under the auspices of parliamentary privilege and public service.

After the dust settles, we are left to wonder if there is much in store for us with the kind of leaders we have. Well, at least they managed to put up a good show for the cameras. Sadly, whatever stupid stuff the guys do, we are left with no option but to suck it up.

Hehehe. Lolz.

Funny? Not a bit.