There's A Reason It's Called Coming Clean : A Reaction To Janet Lim - Napoles' Senate Appearance

Working from home has given me the opportunity to watch Janet Lim-Napoles' appearance at the Senate hearing today. I sat through 6 hours of her categorically denying everything and invoking her right against self-incrimination. Oh, and apparently, the woman suffers from a SEVERE case of amnesia.

Frustrating and exasperating, that's what it was. I wanted to strangle her, chastise her, and throw stones at her perpetually scrunched up face. Just tell the fricking truth already!

But I pause before I dwell on the negativity of judgement. Mrs. Napoles' baffling responses to the enquiries got me thinking. What could compel this woman to bear the burden of her lies? Do they not eat her up? Do they not cause sleepless nights?  Does she not see how the consequences of her actions has affected the lives of her countrymen? Does she not want to come clean and get out of the stinking sh*thole of greed she's in?

But as Sen. Miriam Santiago observed, the woman is "frightened". She does not have the moral fibre and strength of character to tell the truth. As she was growing her wealth in the most appalling way, she was slowly killing her moral fibre, demolishing her strength of character, weakening her integrity. Now they are practically non-existent.

Indeed, the truth will incriminate powerful people, the truth will destroy political careers, the truth will put her own life at risk. To her, it seems, these are the heavier burdens to bear.

So Janet Napoles will cling to her lies as she clings to her life.

But what kind of a life would it be?