17/09/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19BZoVAR9M/?mibextid=wwXIfr
AN OPEN LETTER TO SEN. PIA CAYETANO
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Dear Sen. Pia,
With all due respect, you were out of order earlier today.
Hindi interjection ang ginawa ninyo. Hindi rin iyon tanong para sa former Supreme Court justices na inimbitahang magbigay ng kanilang legal opinions. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥, 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.
You spoke about fearing for your life and losing your right to speak - as though senators were being persecuted simply for expressing an opinion.
But, Senator, accountability is not persecution. Investigation is not intimidation. And freedom of speech is not freedom from legal consequences.
Kung wala kayong ginagawang labag sa batas, there is no reason to portray legitimate scrutiny as an attack on your life or liberty. Hindi dapat ginagamit ang takot bilang emotional shield laban sa mga tanong na dapat sagutin.
Ang inyong mga kasamahang nagtatago, naka-medical leave, o nakakulong ay hindi napunta sa ganoong sitwasyon dahil lamang nagsalita sila. They are facing charges, investigations, or legal proceedings arising from alleged violations of the law - and they remain entitled to due process.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚.
Senator, kung may tanong kayo, magtanong.
Kung may legal argument kayo, ilatag.
Kung may ebidensya kayo, iharap.
But please do not hijack a constitutional hearing and turn the impeachment court into a stage for political theater.
Your position gives you the privilege to speak - but it does not give you the privilege to speak anytime, anyhow, and outside the rules.
The Senate is not a teleserye. The impeachment court is not a campaign stage. 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞.
Respectfully,
A Filipino Who Still Believes That No One Is Above the Law
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