Guess what Ched Chair Romulo Neri was doing when the Supreme Court announced it's decision?
He was in the dentist's chair having his tooth "fixed" the whole afternoon. "I broke a tooth," he said in a text message.
I've been stalking the secretary for months, since the ZTE scandal broke out. Our news team would waiting outside his house early morning until he comes out to go to work -- and hopefully toss a statement, a good soundbite, something meaty to at least merit a whole report.
But today of all days, he had nothing to say. He came out of his house, didn't say a thing and just gave my cameraman a wave. A photojournalist could have saved it for later -- perfect for after the Supreme Court's decision. Caption: Neri waves his troubles goodbye.
When I texted him again about his reaction on the High Court's favorable decision, he texted back, "I'm still with my dentist."
I get it.
Two weeks ago, Neri didn't show up at the ZTE-NBN Senate hearing after the senators rejected a compromise offered by the Supreme Court which would have allowed Neri to testify in the Senate but without the threat of arrest or detention if he invokes executive privilege. Some of the senators said they would rather wait for the Supreme Court's decision on whether the questions are covered by executive privilege.
Now that the Supreme Court ruled that the questions are covered by executive privilege, now what?
Analysis, analysis, analysis.
Neri's lawyers are celebrating, it's a vindication they say.
As expected, some senators are crying foul.
What about Neri?
He won his petition, his broken tooth was repaired, he is sleeping soundly at the moment.
The rest of the country moves on (or did they even notice?). Tomorrow is another day, another story, another rally and another...
The taxi driver will drive, the teacher will teach, the lawyer will defend (or circumvent?) the law, the farmer will farm, the reporter will report, the corrupt politician, policeman, engineer, the LTO fixer go on with their corrupt ways.
While Chairman Neri -- he would rather tend to his broken tooth. Lucky lucky lucky.... tooth.
