New year greeted us with bleak news most of us have been waiting for. Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson is set to plead guilty this 29th on drug charges in Hong Kong.
Back here at home, Singson’s expulsion from Congress is sought although there is a grey area. House Deputy Minority Leader Milagros Magsaysay has stressed that “It depends on the gravity of the offense and how congressmen will perceive it (his criminal offense) based on our own laws (governing) elected officials.”
It is sad that a young congressman is expected to plead guilty on drug related issues. For sure Mr. Singson not only turns the face of our legislative branch into red but his puerile if not stupid action tarnishes the integrity of the government which Pres. Aquino is trying to sanitize and exorcise.
At the infancy of the case, there were a lot of denials and Gov. Chavit Singson, the solon’s father, even suggested that his son could have been framed up.
If so, how and how possible could it be when the younger Singson is tightly fenced with a cabal of security like his father? Who could have placed the cocaine into the younger Singson’s possession without him noticing it?
The die has been cast. Rep. Singson readies to admit guilt but if he is indeed innocent, he is not supposed to do that. Truth will set him free. If he admits guilt then he is really guilty. Don't you think so?
What’s next?
China is not the Philippines and they have their own strict judicial system. Some gravely erring Chinese officials have suffered death sentence and thus, there is no reason to believe that the court in Hong Kong leniently treats a foreign law-maker whose country failed to end a hostage standoff peacefully killing a number of Hong Kong nationals.
It is certain that Mr. Singson is jailed and after serving his time in prison, I am sure that he will be welcomed back in the country and in Ilocos Sur as “a brave man” and “blah blah blahs” who is back home to show how he loves so much his constituents.
At one point, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte offered government help to the Singsons to clear his name in Hong Kong. That is a good government gesture showing a compassionate heart to its citizens in need. I just don’t know why a number of jailed Filipinos in mainland China facing death sentence are not accorded the same act of charity on the part of the government. Probably because drug-related convicted Filipinos in China are ordinary citizens while Mr. Singson belongs to a powerful, wealthy and influential family.
If and when Mr. Singson is on his political feet again and ready to rumble, there is no guarantee that he will hang his political gloves and there is no reason too to believe that the people of Ilocos Sur will not vote him again to be a winner in any seat he chooses.
That is if the dark cloud of apathy and indifference on the mind of the people refuse to leave. Yet one thing is sure according to my favorite singer Rico J:
"Ang lahat ay may hangganan . . . ang tao’y marupok, madaling lumimot." (All have an end . . . man is weak and easily forgets.) -30-
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Further readings:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=644558&publicationSubCategoryId=63 http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20110102-312072
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