Requiem for ‘delicadeza’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

IT IS a testament to the resilience of feudal politics that Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson has defended shamelessly his son, Representative Ronald Singson, over calls for the latter’s expulsion from the House of Representatives in connection with the drug charges he is facing in Hong Kong. The congressman was arrested by customs officers at Hong Kong’s international airport in July and later charged with carrying a vial of cocaine weighing about 26 grams in his hand luggage. In an instance of non sequitur and a betrayal of his ignorance about the legislative system despite having been a member of the House of Representatives himself, the governor challenged his son’s detractors to expel first fugitive Senator Panfilo Lacson, who’s outside the jurisdiction of the House.

The statement shows that Chavit Singson will do everything to deflect the blows against his son. To some, this is but a touching paternal gesture, but to most, it is nothing but political highhandedness, an indication of how delicadeza or sense of propriety has disappeared from the vocabulary and from the consciousness, of Filipino politicians.

The governor said calls for his son’s resignation or expulsion are premature since the Hong Kong court has not rendered yet a verdict. He said his son would not plead guilty to drug trafficking but to the “lesser” offense of cocaine possession. To Chavit Singson apparently, the guilty plea is not enough reason for his son to be ousted or to resign from his post. If this is not the height of insensitivity, we don’t know what is. Earlier, the congressman’s lawyers told a Hong Kong court on December 31 that he would admit to drug trafficking when the hearing resumes on January 26.

As they used to say in the Philippines in the old days. "Wala ka bang delicadeza?"

Full article.