What if Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV declares straight to my face:
You have no reputation to protect.
What else should I say?
I am praying that it would not happen to me. And now I am still hoping that the Filipino nation had not heard such arrogant line. In silence, I have entertained another hope – that Sonny Trillanes hadn’t become (elected) as senator of this country. (My apologies to the your Senator and his family.)
But what if Sen. Trillanes was our god – all knowing, all powerful?
What the world would become if Trillanes, our god, tell us that we don’t have “reputation to protect”?
Let us give thanks to our Lord that some people hadn’t wanted to teach. Because if the former military man, Sen. Trillanes is teaching our children and in one of his inquiry tell a young boy that he has no honor and reputation?
The Philippine Senators, in their celebrated investigations, had long been shaking us – emotionally and mentally.
I asked one friend who have witnessed a senate investigation of the past congress. “It feels like you’re grilled”, my friend told.
What had our Senators accomplished so far from their physically, emotionally, and mentally draining investigations and inquiry?
I have nothing against on Senate investigations. It may be necessary – I am not sure enough. But I am hoping the our Senators accord respect to all people they have invited.
When Sen. Trillanes thrown his hard hitting line: You have no reputation to protect. He had not only traumatize us but had also caused pain (and destruction) to intricate social web (of family and friends).
Who has the reputation?
Can our Senators, specifically Sen. Antonio Trillanes, generously share who still got reputation?
Everyone deserves respect because everyone has honor and dignity. Who are we to tell someone that his “reputation” already gone?
What’s next?
I learn (by heart) the great lessons on the stories from the Senate. The lessons from Senate investigations – from the melodramatic acts to antagonistic verbal attacks – to the famous line of Sen. Trillanes, you have no reputation to protect can be enough.
Should we hurt each other more?
Lessons from the story “Piece of String”
I remember a story “The Piece of String”. It was a story about a peasant who was accused of stealing. He was too disturbed that he wanted to get everyone believe that he really hadn’t stolen the pocketbook but has picked a piece of string instead.
But who will believe a peasant like him? For a poor man like Maitre Hauchecome (of the story) reputation and honor was more important. Perhaps, more important than sparkling stones and metals.
Hauchecome went out of his way to explain to people that he was innocent and that he only picked a piece of string. But he got mockery, insults!
You can read (re-read if you have heard this in your literature class) this classic from Guy de Maupassant by searching, The Piece of String.
Interesting enough! The last part of the story says,
Toward the end of December he took to his bed.
He died in the first days of January, and in the delirium of his death struggles he kept claiming his innocence, reiterating:
“A piece of string, a piece of string–look–here it is, M’sieu the Mayor.”
Perhaps the story could have different plot and characters if Guy de Maupassant lived with us today. What do you think?
Third Wave 
Wasn’t Sen. Trillanes a previous subordinate of the late General, and is therefore knowledgeable as to what has really been going on during the former’s tenure?
I mean, just for the sake of argument, if you are staring into a man’s eyes whom you personally know as corrupt in every sense of the word, and this same man proclaims himself righteous on national TV and would even go as far as appealing to the protection of his nonexistent reputation (that nobody else has destroyed but himself), could you really hold back from saying “you have no reputation to protect.”? Just asking. After all, whatever happened (assuming he is innocent) to the brave unjustly judged innocent who would fight for his rights rather than kill himself in front of his mother’s grave (adding unnecessary self indulgent drama of shooting the heart instead of the head)?
the difference between the General and the peasant is the former lives in luxury while the peasant is a peasant… the General knew who’s the culprit(s) and has every reason to protect and clean his name but he refused to spill the beans. and the former president commended him for being brave to end his own life.. what a shame… he knew his boss but he didn’t even have the nerve to drop the name… brave my ass… is it how bravery measured? soldiers take the oath to protect the people and not for the interests of the greedy few…
For people who had risked and continue to serve our country especially military men, should be given the respect and honor especially as many people known Trillanes III who fought for his men against corruption and greed. No reputation to protect? This statement is a straight forward challenge if you are not stupid, if you are not in any capacity to protect and defend a country or other people that you dont know or you are not even a senator/congr. then what will you do then? If you felt traumatize whatsoever, then you have no reputation to protect… your weak and pathetic…you should rather treated that as a challenge but open your eyes , how many politicians nowdays can actually answer straight if they’re really serious put their lives for our country?
Even now, what are the senators and congressman etc are doing about the china’s intrusions? It seems everyone is “afraid” to get thier reputation get dirty… their businesses might be affected with their chinese partners perhaps….
Do you have what it takes to protect our country?