Editorial cartoon by VINCENT GO
AS senator-judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago was concluding her public tirade on live television on Wednesday, a bishop watching the live proceedings at a café in Intramuros chuckled, “How entertaining.”
Indeed, Santiago has been the diva of the afternoon TV and radio courtroom drama called the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, though her every appearance has been more suspense-thriller (Which prosecution lawyer or witness will she attack today?), or stand-up comedy (What antics will she pull off this time?).
She was at it again on Wednesday, after the prosecution panel announced it was resting its case and surrendering the time allotted to argue the five remaining articles of impeachment. Never in her years as a trial court judge had she seen anything like it, Santiago said, prosecutors changing their minds about the cases and the evidence they had on hand.
She roared at them, calling them “arrogant but stupid,” and told them everyone would be better off if they had just planked and played dead, planking being the juvenile preoccupation of immobility and making like, well, a wooden plank.
“Waahh!” she cried and reminded the court stenographer to keep it on record.
Santiago’s antics are good for more than a few laughs and are often the high points of the trial. She is articulate and fearless, her speeches enlightening and humorous, and there are surely those in the audience who value the legal lectures that a seasoned judge like her has every right to give.
But she has turned off as many people as she has impressed. These are the people who think she handles adversity sans grace and humility, and those who believe she should never shame or demean anyone, including prosecution lawyers who happen to be congressmen. After all, there is such a thing as parliamentary courtesy and judicial conduct. Besides, a former judge and lawmaker like her could surely make her point through sheer wit and intellect, without having to raise her voice.
It would not be surprising if prosecution panel member Rep. Vitaliano Aguirre counts himself among Miriam-haters. Aguirre decided to shut her out while she was talking, covering his ears with his hand and getting caught on TV doing it. Aguirre, of course, could have done it in less visible ways like perhaps bringing with him some earplugs, or simply fixating on the apps in his cell phone. Sadly, Aguirre’s actions seem to give credence to what Santiago thinks of prosecution lawyers.
At any rate, those who find her behavior deplorable will be relieved to remember that Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago will soon be packing her bags to take up her position as a judge in the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands. The diva will climb a bigger stage, her fans will have to make do admiring her from a distance, while her critics will celebrate and say, “Good riddance.” — Luz Rimban
