We have always been told, a picture paints a thousand words. It easy to fool people with our words but not so with pictures. And this is exactly what Senator Richard Gordon did on Monday presenting a picture (a damning evidence) that would probably linked together the main personalities involved in the P728 million fertilizer scam. While they claimed in their statement they did not know each other, the picture showed a different story.
Here is a complete account from abs-cbnNEWS.com.
During the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the scandal, Gordon presented a photograph of alleged Malacañang liaison Jaime Paule, his wife and daughter, Marilyn Araos and Feshan Philippines officials Julie Gregorio and Redentor Antolin. The photo was taken during the 50th birthday part of Leonicia Llarena in 2004.
Gordon said the photo proved that Paule was lying when he claimed that he did not know the other personalities in the scandal.
“Your credibility is totally destroyed here. Wala kang inaamin na kilala mo sila. Ikaw talaga kilala mo sila (You have denied knowing them when it’s true that you did know them),” Gordon told Paule, adding that the liaison is facing perjury charges for lying under oath.
He also said he has more evidence on Paule that would prove that the liaison is lying. Paule has repeatedly denied any role in the scam and said he did not know former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante and the other fertilizer fund scam witnesses.
During Monday’s hearing, Paule said he was not introduced to the other people at the table during Llarena’s birthday.
Paule’s lawyers, meanwhile, asked the Blue Ribbon Committee to allow them more time to confer with their client. They also asked for an executive session where Paule would be allowed to speak freely.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is investigating the alleged diversion of P728 million in agriculture department funds allegedly to the campaign kitty of President Arroyo’s 2004 presidential campaign. Bolante has been tagged as the mastermind of the alleged fund scam.
I don’t exactly know what motivated that individual who handed that picture which the good Senator exhibited during the Senate’s hearing on the P728 fertilizer scam. I hope it is more on the search for truth, although it can not be discounted that there were some monetary consideration involved. And I would not also object if the main reason for giving the photograph to the Senator was to end once and for all the propagation of lies in the Senate. I understand the sentiment of most of the Filipinos against witnesses lying in the Senate. They are already sick and tired of nothing but lies.
The Senate is about to conclude now their investigation, what will happen next. Senator Gordon on the other hand is urging the Department of Justice to file a plunder case against those involved in the fertilizer scam. Meanwhile all that we can do as Filipinos is to hope and pray that truth and justice shall prevail.
Who never lied among us? No one, all of us lied (whether simple white lies or grave lies). The psalmist in the Bible expressed his sorrows on man’s great propensity to commit sin for lying . “And in my dismay I said, All men are liars” (Psalms 116:11). What is even more alarming is the idea that when people lie, they go to Hell. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur…” (Revelation 21:8).
But why do people lie despite the physical danger and the legal and moral perdition of lying? Mark Kendall, wrote this on his article about lying :”The flip side of why people lie is for gain: money, power, approval.” Politicians lie to gain power and fame. But there are people who lie not only for monetary gain and social acceptance, but for security reasons.
The politics of lying is very common among legislatures and other elective officials, they accuse and charge each other of neglect, corruption, and incompetence in public service. Of course many seemingly have the truth when they speak, but what truth is there when all they said are half-truth to propagate their own self-interest. It has been said, the only way politicians survive in their political career is the ability to lie and lie.
The statement that liars go to hell is a truth, a no lie at all. And to be honest with it, it’s difficult for us human to be exemplary upright and honest with our life. But despite our frailties and impurities as human, we can still be righteous. It is all because of Jesus who showed us the “truth, the way, and life.” All we need to do is to surrender our sinful life to Jesus so He could transform us to one that is righteous and holy unto Him. Politicians need to come to Jesus too to clean their ways that they may become an honest and trustworthy servant of God and people.
KLINIKA BOBONYO @ your service 