Migz, with honor

Last week many of us were  pleasantly surprised when Sen.  Juan Miguel Zubiri resigned as a duly elected member of the Senate to put an end to the insults hurled over alleged cheating in Maguindanao in the the 2007 election, which may have benefited him.

Zubiri said he was resigning to spare his  parents, wife and relatives, who  have been suffering from the barrage of  political detractors.

Zubiri  chose to step down with honor than cling to the position  like so many other politicians do  today. He resigned to defend his honor and his family’s from false accusations.

Many are asking,  why only now?

His lawyer Romulo Macalintal said that Zubiri could have hung on and pursued his counter protest until 2013 but he did not.  Zubiri instead  instructed his lawyers to drop the  counter protest in the Senate Electoral Tribunal, paving the way for the proclamation of rival  Koko Pimentel.

Zubiri emphasized that he did not cheat or instruct anyone to cheat for him in 2007.  His gesture was indeed  a rare act from a new breed of politicians.

Some politicos would  resort to all kinds of machinations just to hold on to office. Zubiri showed  a classic example of delicadeza in public service.   Honor before position, I think, is the very clear message of Zubiri’s  resignation.

It is hoped that politicians who deserve to step down will follow his example.  Many people praised Zubiri, especially Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Members of civil society welcomed the gesture and look  forward to the day  Migz will join them in the advocacy of anti-corruption.

Migz called me up last Friday to greet me a happy birthday. He sounded happy and relaxed when he announced his plan to visit Cebu on Aug. 25.  I invited him to also attend the blessing of the new office of the Department of Political Science under the School of Law and Governance on Aug. 24, which he  eagerly accepted.

As a friend of Migz who benefited from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the amount of P30 million to finance the construction of the Pediatric Pavilion at V. Sotto Hospital, I salute him for his rare gesture.

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Many people are wondering why  cybersex is proliferating in the  country.  Is it just happening in Cebu? This is is  one subject that would make a good research challenge for students in political science, sociology and other disciplines to  go deeper and understand the phenomenon.

We are a Catholic country and yet cybersex is a serious problem. Is it because  many of our people are victims of poverty and that in order to survive,  they have to resort to Internet pornography to earn  dollars  compared to working so hard at a decent job just to earn a few pesos?

Are people so desperate to resort to using children for pedophiles in cyberspace?  A common answer by those who do engage in this is that the practice is  okay because “nothing is lost” by the children because they are not physically touched or molested.

What about their  dignity and innocence? Those who  saw the cyberporn performances  of children are appalled.  I suspect the  moral values  of these children are definitely  affected and they suffer low esteem.

This is a serious concern of the government which must defend and protect children from sexual exploitation. Drastic and global measure should be instituted to discourage parents from pushing their children into cybersex.

What’s  more dangerous is the revelation  of local police and barangay officials in Mactan that it is  the husbands who push  their wives to have  sexual relations with foreigners in exchange for dollars.

This  is indeed  revolting.  What is happening to our people and country? Indeed, God, save the Philippines.