Dr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ is on the right track when he advocates the creation of a Presidential Commission on Appointments as a mechanism for the public scrutiny of those men considered for appointment to high office, but I’m afraid this won’t be enough.

Even with a candidate who is obviously qualified and honest, it still would be desirable, if not necessary, to give some credible explanation of why the person was considered for the position (and better still, why certain "logical" and/or "superior" alternatives were not considered at all).

The misgivings about Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing, for example, have little to do with her qualifications or personal honesty. Rather, Dr. Quisumbing is a let-down because people expected someone like Dr. Emmanuel V. Soriano or Dr. Bernas himself.

The frustrated candidate’s cry -- "What has he got that I haven’t got?" -- is going to be echoed by his supporters (and friendly media people) and the cry has got to be answered.

Otherwise, we will continue to look askance at people like Teodoro M. Locsin, Jr. ("What has he got that Orly Mercado hasn’t got?"), react gleefully when he errs ("We told you so!"), and give him no cooperation at all ("Why help that bum?").

J. Pedrosa Ramas