Senate snafu: ‘Quiet’ or disquiet?
Just trying to make light of things in these trying times.
When just elected Senate President-turned-Facebook-vlogger Alan Peter Cayetano called on the Senate to “go quiet” in protest of the arrest last Monday of his fellow senator in the majority bloc, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, what resulted was not quiet but disquiet. This was already manifested when the majority to which Cayetano belongs did not show up for the session that was to resume at 5 p.m., leaving the minority 11 waiting for two hours for some in the majority to change their minds and be present.
The Senate would be in a state of paralysis for two days.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri told reporters, “As long as it takes, we’ll wait. This is our job.” Not one from the majority 13 reduced to 11 (minus the fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Estrada in jail without bail as an accused for plunder) was anywhere near the vicinity. No sightings whatsoever. It was like “waiting for Godot.”
The word disquiet means the absence of peace or tranquility, or being in a state of alarm, disturbance, anxiety, or unease, even agitation. It reminds me of the title of the book about the first years of the Marcos martial law era, “Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage” by noted poet and screenwriter Pete Lacaba.
Since then, Cayetano has been up and about on social media with his soliloquies to explain what he believes to be right, why he must stay as Senate president, and quoting biblical passages every chance he’s got. A political analyst likened him to an “online seller.” I had a good laugh over that. Right, I thought, some aggressive online sellers could make you believe their merchandise are so good you could be tempted to “add to cart” or “buy now.”
Cayetano’s sanctimonious call for “quiet” has only given way to a continuing disquiet accompanied by a cacophony of voices from all sides on mainstream and social media, in conversations, jokes, memes, spoofs, and caricatures. Even one’s personal quiet moments are filled with prolonged echoes and tremors akin to so-called white noise that could be irksome and unsettling. When will this stop?
With the 11 in the minority becoming 12 when Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero from the majority strode into the Senate hall Wednesday to complete a quorum, and Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian becoming Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate president, a new game was afoot as of yesterday, while this rumination of mine was being written.
Read all about it in last Thursday’s Inquirer banner story by Tina G. Santos: “Win acting Senate prez as Chiz ends deadlock.” It is packed full of information about the Senate snafu and how things are coming to a head. (In slang, snafu means “situation normal, all fouled up.”) The deadlock ended, the chamber was reorganized, and new leadership posts were filled. It is infuriating for the public to watch the so-called august chamber become so fouled up. Is it all for privilege, power, protection, money? Love of country? Come on!
It is funny but also disconcerting that arguments from both sides have been reduced to grade school arithmetic. The other Cayetano sibling, Sen. Pia Cayetano, maintained that 13 of the 24 senators are the true majority, not 12. Grade-schoolers should know that, she stressed. But with the number of senators that could be physically present at sessions reduced to 22, a quorum should be 12, that is, even with the 13 in the majority now reduced to 11 and absenting themselves.
With Escudero completing a quorum, Gatchalian cited a Supreme Court ruling that computes the majority by using those physically able and available to participate in Senate sessions, not the number of Senate seats. That means senators in jail or who are fugitives lurking in hiding places are not to be counted, and cannot participate, especially during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, when the senators will be senator-judges wearing crimson robes, weigh the evidence, hear testimonies, and be observant of the demeanor of the accused, witnesses, the defense, and prosecutors. God forbid another shootout in the Senate. There is a new sergeant-at-arms, a retired military general.
Speaking of quiet moments, it behooves us to shut out online sellers and snake oil peddlers who cite biblical passages and invoke divine intervention.
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