Punzi's Corner Blog

I was watching Korina Sanchez's interview of Atty. Romulo Makalintal on her Tonight on ANC show last night and the guy's a real pro.

Secretary Mike Defensor should try to emulate this guy. Here are some pointers for Sec. Defensor:

1. Atty. Mac knows what he is talking about and he sticks to what he does best. He does not venture out to fields he absolutely knows little about, like audio technology, handwriting, other forensic evidence, etc.

A side anectdote. I know some lawyers who continually cross-examine expert witnesses on their particular field of expertise (armed with a miniscule amount of knowledge on the field) and end up with egg on their faces. My rule in expert witnesses is never to question them on their field of expertise. Question them on things like bias (because he/she is pressumably paid by the party that presents him/her) or on possible wrong factual assumpltions, if you must. But if you need to question an expert witness' opinion, present another expert witness with contrary findings.

2. Atty. Mac knows his laws (in general and election laws in particular), knows it well (let's put is this way, there cannot be a best election lawyer in the Philippines because the other side has to have an equal chance. So if one candidate got Atty. Mac, the other candidate's choice of lawyer is a no-brainer, Atty. Sixto Brillantes), and despite such great knowledge, he obviously took time to still study and prepare for his presentation so does not get sidetracked. He does not venture into complications and presents his side (of course the president's side) in a clear, simple manner.

3. Atty. Mac has an amiable personality and speaks very well. And he speaks fluent Tagalog in a pleasing, modulated voice (he's a press man), without a conyo accent.

Sec. Mike, loose the braces. While it may make you look young (for whatever reason you have), it also makes you less respectable. And with those braces, you sound conyotic, hence unappealing to your target audience you are trying to reach.

4. Atty. Mac convinces you of his side. He does not ram his reasoning down your throat. At the end of your argument with him, you are convinced and you part with him as friends.

Not so with Secretary Mike. He tries to win by inviting attention to himself. His strategy is to lift his own bench, sends you a message that he's a superior being than his audience and hence, alienates them in the process.

The result? A series of blog entries such as found in mine, the PCIJ doing a series on you and an audience not only unconvinced, but also raring to punch holes in his argument even way after the conversation is over, or probably plot to demolish him later on.

So I think the President should do a Dilangalen on Defensor. She should tell him to "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"