Missing the point. Again.

And now I am  completely bewildered.   Can anyone tell me what exactly is the point of the senate hearings on the sex video scandals?  I know the operational objective was "in aid of legislation." But given the line of questioning done by our senators and the level of drama present at today's senate hearing, I am not so sure anymore.

Actually, my heart sank at the mere sight of the three senators conducting the hearing.  They just happened to be the three most annoying senators in my list:  Jajajajajamby Madrigal, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla.  Talk about portents of worst things to come! (And yes, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is not included in my list of most annoying senator.  Aside from the fact that she is in a class all her own, it's really difficult to be annoyed all the time by the lady senator.  She says the most shocking things, yes, but will anyone question the fact that she is soooooo entertaining?)

It seemed to me that the whole point was simply to publicly shame Hayden Kho.  Of course the guy deserves the humiliation.  The problem is that just like anything else, one's tolerance for shame is also flexible.  And it looks like Kho has broke his own shame threshold judging by his public demeanor.  Whereas before he couldn't even look straight into the camera and manage a few coherent sentences, he is actually articulate and very much in control of his emotions now.

At the rate things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if Hayden Kho will suddenly emerge as the victim in this whole thing.  I fear that the kind of persecution he is getting from everyone else - and for the wrong reasons, it seems - will eventually boomerang and result in a groundswell of sympathy for him.  It's not a farfetched idea.  He was doused by mineral water by former Police officer turned activist Abner Afuang during the senate hearing.  Who do you think got sympathy in that incident?

For example, I can understand the indignation of the local executives of the provinces of Palawan and Bohol.  But declaring Kho persona non grata and denying him entry into these provinces is an overkill; it's a blatant violation of one's constitutional right to travel.  The pontifications of the governor of Bohol was particularly appalling.  In a nosebleed-inducing rhetorical discourse, he talked about how Bohol is a province of virtuous, religious, etc, people. I guess I was wrong in my assumption that the ultimate measure of Christian values were compassion and forgiveness, then.  

Again, I am not saying Kho should go scot free or that his grievous mistakes should be tolerated.  

All I am saying is that we should limit the discussion to the crime committed.  All these static and sidebar issues about morality, parental responsibility, drug use, etc, serve only one purpose: Obfuscate issues.