‘But I wouldn’t like to be in the shoes of the senator-elect, because I don’t like being in a position where I am placed in a spot, cornered, so to speak.’
A little bird told me that one of the senators-elect whom a religious organization helped elect has been invited to visit the head office of the organization. But the invitee has not been told why.
Maybe they want to express their appreciation to the Senator-elect? Then again, maybe not because I suspect it should be the other way around: the winning candidate should be the one eternally grateful because, without the support of the group, what was a squeaker of a victory could have been a heartbreaking loss.
Yes, the votes of the religious organization may have been the winning factor for this legislator. Without those votes in the tally, someone else may have been the winner.
So, if the reason for the invite is not so that the group could express its thanks to the winner, then what could it be for?
It won’t be, I suppose, an invitation to convert.
Or to spend a good part of one day being toured around the headquarters, an imposing structure inside an imposing compound.
I suspect the sole purpose of the invite is to gently remind the Senator-elect that there is an expectation from the membership of the organization that needs to be met. And that expectation may be related to something of major importance to the bigger society.
Now, what could that be?
What could be a matter of great importance that a Senator will have to deal with shortly?
And what could be the expectation of the membership of the religious organization that swung its support in numbers large enough to help carry the senatorial aspirant beyond the finish line? Your guess is as good as mine
But I wouldn’t like to be in the shoes of the Senator-elect, because I don’t like being in a position where I am placed in a spot, cornered, so to speak. I wouldn’t like to be in the position where I put one hand on a Bible and raise the other to God to swear to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law but then will have to surrender the dictates of my conscience because I recognize the debt of gratitude I owe to a multitude of fellow Filipinos who put me in office and who now have a gentle reminder as to what matters to them.
I’d hate to be in those shoes. Because my choice would be stark. And whatever I decide would be painful, one way or the other.
But it’s payback time, you see.
