Memories From the Past

I was awaken by the sound of the engines of vehicles, glancing at the window, it is still dark. I know it is Saturday, January 28. My watch says 5:00 am. I tried to go back to sleep but could not. The Impeachment Court vs.Corona drama has the making of the Clash of the Titans in Philippine setting. I had been following the arguments of both sides and it seems familiar. It’s the clash between good and evil, between justice and injustice and the stake—the welfare of the people/nation vs. the welfare of the powerful rich few with its batteries of legal experts trying to make legal their arguments wearing the guise of legality, pleading for justice for the injustice committed on the people by the accused. . The last few days have somewhat stirred something in my mind. Yes, a déjà vu. I have been on a similar situation before but a personal experience on a lighter vein..

I remember my cousin, Kit, whose father is from Lemery, Batangas. We almost grew up together until his father was able to build a house in V. Mapa, Sta. Mesa. My pensioner lola was able to build up a house on the lot 300 meters from theirs. One afternoon in 1970, my grandma sent me on an errand to Mama Inday, my auntie, known in the neighborhood as Mestisa. Kit engaged me on a lively conversation. He was graduating in high school, he attended a seminar on the Law Aptitude Examination at UP and he has taken the UPCAT. He told me so many times that he would like to be a legend. At that time, at 17, standing 5’8” and still growing, a handsome mestizo, no doubt, he will be a legend.

After a few banterings and jokes, Kit started to present an argument. I forgot the topic but I remember he is defending something that appears to be right and proper based on his premise/s but I know that he is defending something wrong, logically seems right but morally, I have that instinct that it was wrong. I made my stand, he was not able to persuade me. There is a subtle fallacy in his argument bordering on the grey areas, cleverly construed and contrived, hindi halata. To the undiscerning, his argument is convincing and could pass muster. If it is wrong, it cannot be right. It was just a friendly argument, no shouting, no bullying. It dragged for almost 2 hours because he was persevering to the point of desperation but I stood my ground. Finally, he gave up, he cannot make progress, and I have to go home to Lola.

I forgot about it, then later on, I learned from Mama Inday that Kit took up Accountancy at BA UP. Then I realized that, perhaps by not able to persuade me, he thought, he will not be able to be a good lawyer. I really forgot the crux of the argument but I knew from the start of our tete-a-tete that a graduating high school student like Kit cannot concoct such a clever argument. It must have come from the LAE seminar as a test for prospective lawyers. I did not asked him, just an educated guess.

In the same vein, the Impeachment Court vs. Corona is analogous, the use of legalities and technicalities to aid the unjust, using the name of justice to abet and condone injustice. No wonder our country cannot be great because the leaders who should lead us to greatness are rapacious and would lead us to perdition for their own personal gains. That our justices would rather side with plunderers, scammers, and the wealthy rather than with masses who were the losers.

What would the outcome be? The outcome of this clash, would surely change the future of politics for the country. It is a good try, nevertheless, quien sabe?