Ruffy Magbanua Love hurts / love scars / love wounds / And marks any heart / Not tough or strong enough / To take a lot of pain / take a lot of pain / Love is like a cloud / Holds a lot of rain / Love hurts... ooh, ooh love hurts--excerpts from the song “Love Hurts” by Felice Bryant WORRY not, Sen. Leila de Lima, you are not alone in your bid to grab national attention. After all, the sex life of public figures like you is always an intriguing topic in this country. It spreads like wildfire and sells like hot cakes. So hold on and enjoy the ride, Madame Senator. You cannot just simply escape from it for now while you are holding a public office. The people elected you although you came last in the Magic 8. Now, it behooves upon us to know you better, Madame Senator. The people  like to address you as Honorable Senator with a heart for security aides and macho drivers. You are now an elected official, a controversial at that, and therefore you have become an instant hit, a good copy, so to speak. Dread not, you were able to make headlines from all platforms of media. But kindly don’t ask the members of social media not to share online your colorful sex life or even beg the President to stop his personal vendetta against you. Both have human rights, too, which you have been fighting for all along. Are you not aware that the FOI is now in effect? During an ambush interview, you outlined two wishes on your 57th birthday, right? First, that the President will end his tirades against you, and that a new love life will come like a thief in the night because you badly needed a shoulder to lean on? Don’t be alarmed, your wishes will soon be granted. In fact, the President has already responded by saying, “You are finished!” And if you refuse to accept that you have had love affairs, then you are doomed. Do you still remember the President’s unsolicited advice? Public life is an open book, and no one among you people in government would cry foul about it. But fear not though, Madame Senator. You will have all the drug lords and drug addicts as your supporters. You already proved that during the Senate inquiry on extrajudicial killings where you had drug addicts as your principal witnesses. But the former First Gentleman had his heyday by sending you a Facebook message: How’s the karma going? Shudder not, Ms. Leila de Lima, life is indeed full of pretenses and surprises. Now, it’s time for former First Gentleman Arroyo to get back at you, at least,  via Facebook. You said this during the Binay inquiry on ill-gotten wealth that went viral: “If there is nothing to hide, the investigation should be welcomed with open arms, and not questioned at every turn for irrelevant reasons.” Don’t you think the people deserve the same line of justification as what you have demanded with the Binays? You promised us transparency and good governance, then by all means do it without complaints. After all, we pay you to serve us, taxpayers of this Republic. This makes sense, right? Do you still remember the love life of Dovie Beams? Or the high-profile sex life of Monica Lewinsky? Or a local accountant so obsessed with power such that she readily obliged to become the No. 2 mistress in exchange of some comforts in life?          Or here’s the most recent one: the not-so-secret love life of a separated, non-performing congresswoman who had an alleged driver cum sweet lover? Madame Senator, we are not immortals. We are all ordinary sinners. And no one is spared when it comes to involvement on love affairs, and that includes the President. His admiration with beautiful women is never-ending. Unfortunately, you are not in that list, but in the drug  matrix, yes. Well, love, after all, is not all honey. It’s always laced with that twin emotional poisons called heartaches and pain. Go ahead and make your day as hot as your alleged involvement with drugs. Welcome to the club, Madame Senator. As Singaporeans would always say: Love hurts, lah? E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com