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Session hall
Published: December 10, 2006 by The Bohol Standard

Another storm entered the Philippine territory yesterday, sending shivers down the people who have just witnessed the ravages of super-typhoon “Reming” that caused untold destruction in the Bicol region.

Even as concerned citizens and kind-hearted individuals were merely starting to raise funds for the victims in the worst tragedy to hit Bicol in recent years, “Seniang” threatened to sow destruction on a lesser scale to the Leyte and Samar area and other provinces including Bohol. Given the scale of destruction inflicted on the country by these natural calamities, it would seem that there would be nothing else on the minds of the country’s leaders than the immediate help that can be extended to the victims.

Nothing is farther from the truth. While the Bicolanos and other victims of calamities were grieving and wondering whether there is still life waiting for them, leaders of Congress led by Speaker Jose de Venecia were more preoccupied the business of raising another storm named constituent assembly, con-ass for short.

Indeed, Congress could have very well been Nero fiddling while Rome was burning. Only that this time it is worse. Nero was a despotic tyrant who didn’t care about people’s feelings. Here, we have congressmen acting like choir boys while escorting innocent lambs to the slaughter. At least with Nero, people had no other options but to simply obey. In the case of the con-ass, the congressmen are even trying to impress people about their noble intentions such that the people should even be thanking them for performing their patriotic duties.

We don’t know which is worse: the horrors inflicted by Reming and Seniang and all other calamities put together, or the wholesale robbery of the Filipino’s dignity by no less than those who swore on their bibles that they will do their best. Apparently frightened by the storms of dissent threatened by nearly every decent sector in Philippine society, de Venecia suddenly does a 180-degree turn-around and now calls for a constitutional convention. Just like that. No remorse, no apologies. Just plain turn-around.

The typhoon victims may be too preoccupied with their ordeal that they have little time to reflect on the shameless actions of the members of Congress.

And yet, for all their pathetic state, these victims are far more dignified than those who do not shiver when see the word “honorable” attached to their names. It is a good thing there is such a thing as hell. It will make a good session hall.

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