Let the show begin....

The congressional inquiry into the alleged wiretapped conversations of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are now underway. Not surprisingly, the hearings have turned into a circus of sorts with all the faux pas being committed, that the proceedings can only be accurately described as "surreal."

Consider this:

Objections being raised as to the venue.
Sa puntong ito pa ba paguusapan kung saan gagawin ang mga hearing?

Concerns on the quorum.
Di ba on proper motion pwede naman defer yung roll call?

Discussions on the rules, distribution of copies of the rules.
Dapat bago pa lang nilinaw na at ikinalat na ang copya ng mga patakaran sa mga mambabatas. Hindi kung kelan simula na ng mga pagdinig.

Anti-Arroyo groups attempt to enter the gallery but were thwarted by security personnel. A brief scuffle supposedly ensued when one of them tried to throw a punch.
Para tayong mga walang pinag-aralan ah.

Members of militant youth groups give away copies of Gloriagate CDs in the session hall.
Hahahaha. :-)

As a result of all this intervening events (or as some would claim, deliberate delaying tactics), the start of the hearings were moved back by more than two hours.

When the proceedings did go underway, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye's replies to questions thrown his way were for the most part, unremarkable, unhelpful, and it would seem, devoid of any material facts capable of shedding light to the controversy on hand. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The House of Representatives has claimed to be able to wrap up their investigation in three weeks. Though seemingly unlikely, let us give them the benefit of the doubt.

Its only the first day, hopefully we will learn more about the truth as the hearings progress. With any luck, it will be less like a circus.

Postscript:

Pro-Truth

Somehow, I'm getting a bit sick and peeved by the administration and some of the media who insist on branding individuals and organizations calling for Pres. Arroyo to speak on the alleged wiretapped recordings or distributing copies of the recordings as "Anti-Arroyo." While there is no doubt that there are indeed certain people and entities out there who would definitely want to see Pres. Arroyo step down from the Presidency, just crying out for the truth, or distributing copies of taped conversations which have never been confirmed, up to this moment, of actually being recordings of Pres. Arroyo's voice, does not make one "Anti-Arroyo." I prefer to call it "Pro-Truth."

Such attempts only make me wary of possible attempts to crack down on those who simply wish to know the truth into all of the allegations against the current administration. Branding everyone seeking the truth as "Anti-Arroyo" reeks of suppression of the Filipino citizens' rights to express their personal views and opinions, and to know the truth about the moral fitness of their very own leaders. And the protracted silence of all those in a position to clarify this issue does not help matters any.

We can only wait and see what happens next.

Quaere Verum.