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| The fight is not lost. The last warrior is still here. And he will continue the fight. |
She could be as feisty as she could get but you're thankful that she is what she is. She could be flamboyant in her declarations but you're glad because her brand of flamboyance is perfectly matched with sense. And class. Who else gets to eat death threats for breakfast, anyway? My, that one is classy smile emoticon Her intelligence is so lethal her closest rival is no match to her. And let's not even talk about IQ here, please. Performance wise, she is among the best ever that has graced Philippine politics. She has done justice to every position--elective or appointive--she handled in her long stint as a public servant. Oh, how I wish she would stay long enough to scare plunderers, swindlers, and trumpers, and the corrupt in the government--and drive them away. I wish she would stay long enough to demonstrate to lawyers and law-makers the grandness of the practice, and to show politicians the even more grandness of public service.
I remember when we were so proud of Miriam being there in the senate every time there is a trial because we just know that it would be hard time for those who try to distort justice. I remember how we would face our TV sets and shout "go, Miriam, go!" like a mantra and she would say to her opponents, "don't play games with me!" or "what's your grade in law school?" like an angry mother defending her brood. That's not intimidating her opponents, it was bringing out the best in them specially if they have to stand for something. I remember when we were very eager to hear Miriam throw the verdict to anyone accused of wrong because we just know it would be the closest thing we can come to justice. I remember how Miriam would make us feel safe every time she took the cudgels to stand for us against the crooks and the villains and the monsters that we see every single day in our institutions. Yeah, Philippine politics is a safer place with her being there. And all these while she keeps us entertained in a good way. All these while she teaches us lessons about ourselves, as a people, and as a nation. All these while she shows us how the good and the right stuff is made. Yes, I remember when she would remind us that we are good, decent, sensible, intelligent, and strong-willed people.
But pity now, we have forgotten these things about her. She was your no-nonsense rhetoric plus ability combined but still you don't want her. She was your expert constitutionalist and legal defender but still you don't want her. She was your fearless fighter in shining armor with a heart of a mother but still you don't want her. She was your tough-minded, strong-willed Iron Lady with a tender soul but you still don't want her. I'm so ashamed of myself.
But then again, this is not about her, this is about us. This is about our tendency to forget as a nation. And to forget about the good ones--the ones we should have had if only we didn't want something else. This is what Plato defined many centuries ago as the curse of "forgetfulness". And this happens when our soul loses its memory, or fails to exercise remembering. It was under this spell that made Adam and Eve forget that they are already made with the "good stuff" and wanted something more.
Come election day, only 2% (?) of the voters will remember who they are. The rest will forget. That's a disease greater than Miriam's cancer. And that's what killed her.
*Written prior to the elections 2016. And the result clearly says we just had collective amnesia.
