NEVER SAY SOMETHING YOU MAY EAT BACK LATER

Sa impeachment hearing ni CJ Corona kahapon, Martes, ay may isang palasak na kawikaan na biglang sumagi sa aking isipan kahapon: "Iwasan mo, anya,  ang magsalita ng patapos, at baka subukan ka ng tadhana at ang iyong sinabi ay ikaw rin ang humimod."

Alam kong may katuwirang magalit si Senate President Enrile sa ginawang alleged walkout ni Corona after his testimony. Truth is, I appreciate Enrile's liberality in giving Corona all the time to go on and finish his long testimony, even if tatlong beses rin niyang sinabi, "matagal pa po ba 'yan, Chief Justice?" 

Si Defense chief counsel Cuevas ay gayon na lang ang paghingi ng patawad kay Enrile sa ginawa ni Corona, which later turned out to be at least a bit reasonable because he was not feeling well, as indeed when he was brought back to the session hall he was already on a wheel chair, very obviously "tuliro" at ewan ko kung narinig ang pagpapalitan ng salita ni Cuevas at Enrile.

In spite of what happened, I knew Enrile's respect for the Chief Justice remained unchanged, as it was Cuevas, not the Chief Justice, that he reprimanded.  When Enrile insisted that Corona come back to the session hall the following day  (meaning today) for cross-examination, Cuevas promised that provided Corona is mentally and physically able, he will bring him to the court.  That rather conditional guarantee was in my opinion only to be expected, given the reason for Coronal's alleged walkout: suddenly failing health.   But when Enrile said something like:  "No, you should bring him back to court at two o'clock tomorrow without fail, otherwise I will rule that his testimony be totally stricken off from the record,"  methinks nagsalita si Enrile nang patapos, na sa bandang huli ay siya rin ang humimod.

Bakit, kanyo?  Aba'y hindi nga ba't hindi nga nakabalik si |Corona kanina dahil na sa ICU pala sa Medical City?  Pero hindi rin nakuhang ipatupad ni Enrile  'yong kanyang matigas at patapos na sabing he would rule to totally expunge Corona's testimony.  Para sa akin, ano ba naman 'yong tinanggap na lang sana niya ang sinabi ni Cuevas na ibabalik niya si Corona provided the CJ was physically well? Di ba tama lang naman 'yong sinabi ni Cuevas under the circumstances?  Of course, I can understand ba nadala lang si Enrile ng kanyang emosyon, alam kong deep within him, he knows (though he will not admit it) that he had learned a lesson from what he said.

Sa kabilang dako, whether Corona's testimony is expunged or not from the court records, the senator-judges have already heard it, and it will remain in their minds and each one has every right to believe it or not.   I mean, at the end of the day, no one may ask any one of them if he considered or not Corona's testimony in his final verdict.  That is his, and totally his alone, to answer to his conscience and the people..