I can't get enough of what transpired that fateful August 6 in the Senate. I was prepared to be blown out of my wits ... na ikinahulog ko sa aking upuan ... pati na ang aking sense of right and wrong ay fractured na ... not even a surgery can make it whole again.
Maraming NAKAKA-ALIW na nangyayari c/o the amusing supporting cast ng Senado ... at marami ring NAKAKABALIW na eksena starring the same cast. Everybody was on edge ... hindi mapigilan ng iba ang "magnakaw eksena" mahagip at mapansin man lang ng camera.
>>>>>>>>>>>
Senator Rodante Marcoleta was commissioned as the harbinger of doom when, for the second time around, the Senate motioned that the impeachment case against the VP be dismissed. Siya ang naatasan to do the dirty work this time ... nakakahiya man at kapapasok pa lang niya sa Senado ... ito na agad ang kanyang first assignment. He willingly obliged to show gratitude at pasasalamat sa pamilya sa kanyang pagkapanalo.
Ginawa na ito ni Senator Bato noong nagconvene ang Senado (also to prove his loyalty to the family) at pasasalamat na rin sa kanyang Top 3 performance last election. He was the first elite hit squad member assigned to test the Senate waters to see if it was ripe for them to try to dismiss without really rocking the boat. PAPALIT-PALIT at PALIPAT-LIPAT lang ang mga naatasan ... para hindi naman masyadong halata.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ganoon na sila ka desperate? And yes, DESPERATE TIMES call for DESPERATE MEASURES?
"Desperate times call for desperate measures" means that when faced with severe hardship or crisis, it may be necessary to take extreme or unconventional actions that would not be considered appropriate under normal circumstances. Bato and Marcoleta knew the awesome task they would have to do. Facing the camera, they have already thought of the backlash they have to endure after braving their front to make a motion to dismiss. And they have to do ... what they have to do. What else can they do? ... because somebody has to do it somehow... and the family they owe a lot to, expects urgent positive results pronto!
>>>>>>>>>>>>
And the rest was history. Senator Bato tried it, dismissing the impeachment case for the first time. And like a clockwork, his motion was met with a lot of resistance ... opposition ... and disapproval from its critics... and the people.
The character of Senator Cayetano came to the scene in Act 3. And to soften and neutralize the acid reflux and the heartburn brought about by the motion for DISMISSAL ... Cayetano has to do divine intervention ... as he segued from dismissal to REMAND ... and the rest of the senators thought it was a stroke of genius and said AMEN ... except for the five.(Hontiveros, Pimentil, Poe, Binay and Gatchalian)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The no-nonsense Marcoleta also tried his luck, dismissing the case, and with Tito Soto and Ping Lacson on the guard ... they were almost successful in making Rodante's motion have a semblance of a stalemate ... an impasse. I can still think of other words similar to that (deadlock, stand-off, dead-end, stand-still) just to show my appreciation that they were there as guardian angels.
And thanks to Cayetano again ... the ever dependable knight in shining armor came to his rescue and miraculously switched from DISMISSAL...to a more acceptable and comfortable alternative ... TO ARCHIVE. Teka ... teka... deja vu na naman? And the rest of the senators say AMEN (except for Soto and the troika of Hontiveros, Pangilinan, and Aquino; Lacson abstained)
>>>>>>>>>>>>
While Cayetano was making his presentation, he was making some sort of dog and pony show with his partner Marcoleta, or was it the Matt and Jeff technique, where one person acts aggressively ("bad cop"), while the other acts friendly and understanding ("good cop").
The Q and A portion was a big letdown because the two were not in sync with each other. Though they may have practiced it several times ... they sounded and looked rehearsed ... and Marcoleta fumbled because he was not listening to his cues.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
When praised by Cayetano that Marcoleta is for the rights of everyone ... that he was only adopted by PDP ... but he is not a member of the Duterte block ... and that he is not running as a partisan - that didn't register well as seen in Marcoleta's poker-faced expression. He may be a good debater ... but not a good actor when the situation calls for it. That spoiled the presentation.
He looked awkward and hesitant answering the question ... and it is obvious that he didn't agree with the way the script of their tableau was written. Was it guilt written in his gnarled face when asked if he was not a member of the Duterte block? And was it shame the reason why he panicked when asked if he was for the rights of everyone ... and why a heavy and a delayed YES answer ... when asked if he is non-partisan?
>>>>>>>>>>>>`
In the bench, the camera happened to stop by the face of Bato. He must be thankful he was relieved of the burden of making the motion for dismissal for the second time.
It might be too much to say he has been staring at the two having Q & A ...and Bato was nothing but praise and gratitude. The way he looked at Marcoleta while watching the rehearsed tableau, his eyes twinkled like he was a doting father admiring his son's greatest performance. Others were joking: "They have a mutual brotherly admiration society. Others asked ... was it bromance to some?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
TO BE CONTINUED ...
