The MADam Trapo: Miriam Defensor-Santiago

This article taken from Rina Jimenez-David's column in The Philippine Daily Inquirer sums up my perception and opinion of the notorious MADam.   Known for "eating death threats for breakfast," she also holds the title of queen mean!  Her constant insult and intimidation of everything living leads one to think she belongs to the other end of sanity. 

Interviewed on "I-Witness" by Vicky Morales, Miriam replied, when asked how she felt about the public reaction to her "no" vote that fateful night of Jan. 16: "Why should I be bothered by these Filipinos who are raising these protests against me? These same Filipinos who have not even stepped foot on Harvard or Oxford. I would be bothered if my professor in Cambridge were to take exception to my legal interpretation of a judicial matter. But to be bothered by a Filipino who may not even know that a Harvard exists, who can’t even pass the UP entrance test, who wouldn’t even understand discussions of such a high level even if they tried, why should I be bothered? I have no time to listen to this species of lower life forms."

While letting go of this mouthful, uttered in her trademark broad Ilonggo-American accented English, Miriam looked amused, sounded breezy, even. But I’m sure she was aware of the implications of this haughty dismissal of her critics.

Miriam may have had the "Edsa crowd" in mind when she derided them for daring to question her decision when they are so obviously inferior to her in terms of intellectual prowess. But surely she’s aware that she may have alienated, as well, the masa from whom spring the 18 or so percent of the population that survey-takers say remains staunchly pro-Erap. After all, a UP education, or just a college education, much less a visit to Harvard or Oxford, is simply beyond their dreams. Are they all inferior life forms, then?

Huwag iboto si Miriam . . . huwag iboto ang trapo!