A Tale of Two Apologies

A few things struck me about the President’s apology to Kris Aquino when compared to her earlier apology to all of us regarding the GloriaGate Tapes.  First, she said “I’m sorry” seven times to Kris but we deserved only one.  After all, the remarks of Sec. Gonzalez must have hurt Kris very much.  She was later quoted as saying she could never be friends with Sec. Gonzalez. 

But what about the President?  If the tapes are true, she personally nullified the votes of many of our countrymen and she used her public office in order to mobilize the COMELEC and members of the military to aid her (all in derogation of our Constitutionally protected right of suffrage).  Then when the tapes surfaced, she again used the government to threaten citizens who played or possessed the tapes, with criminal prosecution (all in derogation of our Constitutionally protected right of free speech).  Then, the NTC issued threats to the media regarding the playing of the tape (all in derogation of our Constitutionally protected right to a free press).  Don’t you think we deserve at least two “I’m sorry’s?”

Second,  the President apologized immediately after the airing of “The Buzz” where Kris had aired her feelings about Sec. Gonzalez’s unkind remarks.  According to Kris, the first thing she heard from the President was “I’m sorry.” Well, it took her weeks to apologize to us and even then it was Hollywood-produced, lit and staged with a script vetted by her lawyers.  Worse, it was a half-hearted apology at best.  Don’t believe me? Close your eyes and remember the part where she lamely says “I’m sorry.”

Third,  the President told Kris “Is there anything we can do to repair the damage?”  Well,  she didn’t tell us that, did she? 

Now, I’m starting to feel bad about this whole thing.

Finally,  and this is important,  she wasn’t apologizing to Kris for anything she did, she was apologizing for something Sec. Gonzalez did.  And yet Kris gets a personal call immediately, seven “I’m sorry’s”, and an offer to repair the damage? 

What are we?  Chopped liver?