“Sana, hindi one-sided ang prosecution.”
On the ninth day of the Impeachment hearings, Senator Robin Padilla admonished lead prosecutor Representative Gerville Luistro not to be “one-sided,” eliciting instantaneous reactions among those seated in the front row.
Private Prosecutor Lorna Kapunan later apologized for the comments uttered after Padilla’s “quotable quote.” She admitted she was among those responsible for some of the noise that erupted.
Kapunan said she meant no disrespect for Padilla. She was merely reacting in an instinctive manner as a lawyer with many years of litigation experience would when one hears something wrong.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
The legal luminary made light of the situation by saying that the prosecution panel, because they are seated in the front row, do try their very best to behave but sometimes, it’s very difficult to do so. Often, she says she just bows her head in prayer.
I almost fell out of my seat, laughing.
You see, I can relate. I possess a face with subtitles. For the boomers, this means a face that cannot hide or mask true feelings or convictions.
What you see is what you get. I’m capable of putting on a straight face but not for too long. As my family will attest, I can’t act. I can’t fake it. I can’t create fiction. Like I said, my face has subtitles.
If I’m pleased, you will know. If I’m not, it will show.
The impeachment is becoming a sleep aid. So many dilatory tactics. Too much nonsense going on. So much time wasted. It’s a legal strategy but it doesn’t really augur well for those who espouse it.
Certainly, it doesn’t show strength of conviction. If anything, it shows a certain level of desperation.
Kapunan says there is a saying among lawyers that when one is weak on the facts, lawyers argue on the laws but when one is weak on both the facts and the laws, lawyers go after persons.
The attack on the witnesses’ credibility is expected though deplorable, the call for the prosecution not to be one-sided, unexpected but laughable.
It is the job of the prosecution to prove guilt as it is the job of the defense to prove innocence. It is inherent in their jobs to be one-sided.
Senator Padilla’s call for fairness (as he later claimed) should have been directed to himself and his fellow Senator-judges.
In my many years of column writing, I’ve been accused of being both opinionated and biased. I plead guilty.
After all, I’m human, not artificial intelligence. I possess biased views based on the values I hold. As an Opinion writer, my job is to express an opinion. And all opinions are, by nature, subjective or biased.
Opinion writers don’t write the news which is a presentation of objective facts. They write about their opinions which is a presentation of their subjective values and views.
Anyone who possesses emotions and convictions cannot be objective. They can only try to be. And that’s what news writers do. They present both sides of the story in an “attempt” to be objective because it is their job to do so.
Aside from issuing opinions, I like to travel. And traveling with others has taught me that travel reveals character because it brings to light how people respond to stressful situations.
I’ve learned something equally illuminating during the Impeachment hearings.
Manifestations don’t always reveal one’s wisdom or intelligence, sometimes, they reveal one’s lack of it. So, when there is nothing of value or significance one can contribute, it’s best to give the floor to those who do.
But this is just one, biased opinion.