["PLAY THE KING" IS ACT TWO OF THE "PLAY" SERIES. PLEASE READ "PLAY THE QUEEN" FIRST.]
It's been four months since Priam Torres, the once unpopular president of the Elysian University Student Council, assumed office. Thanks to his chief-of-staff Cas...
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CASTIEL
MY NEW council was working out just fine. Tabitha must have been joking when she told me that she randomly picked our three junior officers from dozens of applicants. So far, they had managed to live up to my expectations. However, if they were to prove inadequate or incompetent, I would have no hesitation in terminating their internship with us.
"Good morning, fellow Elysians! For those who have already forgotten my name, I'm Mignonette Nievera, your press secretary for today. This is my second presser, so please go easy on me!"
I stopped by our office lounge and glanced up at the television screen to watch our interim press secretary. Mignonette was all smiles, noticeably less nervous compared to her first time at the lectern. Walang aberya no'ng unang press briefing niya. Maybe the vultures had been lenient with her because she was new. But we could not expect the same gentleness this time or in the future.
"The USC will audit the accomplishment reports and financial statements of all mandated and non-mandated student organizations for the first semester," she articulated confidently. "We will provide every org with a copy of our requests and expect their compliance under the Freedom of Information Act."
What's the use of a weapon if we were not going to wield it? While my primary target was the college student councils, it was prudent to conceal my intentions and present it as a general audit. If you wanted to hide a leaf, hide it in a forest. Besides, who knew what we might uncover about the other organizations? Maybe our audit would yield information we could leverage in the near future.
"I will now take your questions! Again, please be gentle. Thank you!"
"Mignonette! I'm Ambrielle from The Herald—"
"Hi, Ambrielle! What's your question?"
"The USC is auditing the student organizations, but who's going to audit the USC?"
"Good question!" Mignonette began. "We will make the council's accomplishment report and financial statements public this week! If you have any comments or questions, you may request additional details through our FOI channel. We are committed to transparency and will provide whatever information is needed to ensure accountability."
"The last time the USC initiated an audit—specifically on the CSCs—you released the reports during the impeachment trial," Ambrielle added. "Some believed you used FOI to target CSCs not allied with you. Even CBA-CSC Chairperson Alaric Esteban made this claim.
"I can't speak about the USC's intentions and actions in the first semester since I wasn't a junior officer then," Mignonette replied calmly. "But this audit is standard procedure. If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear."
She will be fine. I limped my way back to my cubicle, leaving the television on for some background noise. Bago ako dumeretso sa aking area, huminto muna ako sa cubicle ni Tabitha na abalang nagta-type sa desktop computer niya. Nakakunot ang noo niya at halos nagsalubong ang mga kilay na parang namomroblema.
