Walden Bello stepped inside a closed legislative hall, sat on the chair reserved for the august body’s presiding officer and then banged the gavel–the symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a presiding officer.
Why did he do that? Only Bello knows.
For one, Bello is not a member of the august body. Second, the body is not in session and hence, doors were closed. Third, he is not supposed to sit on the presiding officer’s chair. And fourth, he does not wield authority to hold and more so, bang the mallet.
Here is a person who was declared “persona non grata” in the very same hall he disrespected, entering it without permission nor having any official business to do so. Bello is not a taxpayer of the city, nor a resident. He is only in the city on that day because he has to appear before the court for cyber libel charges. He is not a member of the City Council nor was he invited to appear before it, much less on a day the Sanggunian was not in session.
So how did he manage to get to the SP building much less enter the session hall? Easy, nobody noticed Bello. Nobody restrained him. He was free to roam without the “persona non grata” tag forced on him. Well, yes. This is the city Bello loved to despise.
Did anyone hurt him, much less even touch him? No.
Despite his antics and for whatever worth it achieved for him, Bello just showed us his character. Someone who would breach simple rules of courtesy and respect.
So just let Bello be Bello. Courtesy begets courtesy. Respect begets respect.
