THE English language can be a tricky thing, especially in the world of politics. Words we thought we understood, like "forthwith," suddenly take on new, more… flexible meanings.
According to the dictionary, "forthwith" means "immediately."
But in the hallowed halls of the Philippine Senate, that definition seems to be more of a suggestion.
In the context of an impeachment trial, Senate President Chiz Escudero and his colleagues have shown that "forthwith" can be stretched to mean "eventually, after a great deal of preparation and scheduling."
We saw this play out when the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, began its proceedings only to have the action halted by a Supreme Court decision.
The high court's order used another word that has been redefined: "remand," or "to send back." For the first time in our country's history, the articles of impeachment were sent back to the House of Representatives. To some, this might suggest that, with the right agenda, anything is possible.
Then came the debate over the fate of the impeachment articles. The word "dismiss" was deemed too final, too "dead." So, senators turned to "table," a word that was also met with allergic reactions. Ultimately, they settled on "archive," a word that sounds less permanent, less haunting.
Former Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz and former councilors Roy Openiano and Jose Zalsos offered a more simplistic take. To them, "table" means putting a matter in a cabinet, while "archive" means tucking it away in a bodega where it's nearly impossible to retrieve.
One senator even suggested that "forthwith" means "to dribble and dribble." It makes one wonder why an action from a basketball game was brought into the discussion, unless, of course, it was a subtle nod to the Senate's own "dribbling" of the issue, with the Senate President himself leading the charge.
Finally, we have the word "MR," which stands not for "Mister" but "Motion for Reconsideration." The Senate, seemingly allergic to this as well, rushed to dismiss the matter. Yet, with a bit of political maneuvering, the motion was kept barely alive, "archived" for a later, more convenient, time.
The ever-evolving lexicon of our politicians reminds us that in the game of politics, words are not always what they seem.
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