Digging documentary files proving a person “crazy” is becoming itself crazy. But of course, we are in a “demo-crazy” — we have the right to be wrong!
There is a mad rush to reveal the psychological or psychiatric tests of the Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, taking as cue the Supreme Court nod on the precedent request of Associate Justice Arturo Brion on the publication of his own tests results. CJ Sereno tried to pull the strings back to prevent her own court and colleagues ordering the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to open the lid of Brion’s test results.
Notice, too, the ensuing floor and chamber debates that reveal a prospective dissociative intellectual autonomy among the associate justices mostly resisting the early manipulative arm twisting of CJ Sereno in deferring the SC’s go signal for the release order.
CJ Lourdes Sereno who opted for a “dignified silence” in relating to media, knows quite well that her psychological test results, rumored to be a flunking mark is next on the chopping board’s scrutiny. That would be a media heydey, flooding radio/TV and broadsheets plus the social networks of all sorts of commentaries from pseudo-professional interpretations, to political spins of begrudged camps such as that of the impeached CJ Renato Corona, to puns and sarcasms that are regular entertainment fare for the media entrenched audience.
In short, there would definitely be a “crazy output” of the revelations in public of the psychological test results.
Again, we have an occasion for ignoramuses to come out with their idiocies on the matter, precisely the reason such tests are held confidential.
I have undergone almost all the common psychological tests since I entered the seminary and prior to my ordination, but I have never seen any of the results because they were “For Your Eyes Only.” When, in a daring move I requested my superior to at least reveal my mental and emotional proficiencies and deficiencies, he remarked in a deadpan look, “It is not for your own good that you get to know the results — the results are for our own use, not yours or anybody’s.”
We can’t just predicate these private revelations with the “transparency in government” clause; it is all about circumspection and the right to privacy.
Besides, most testing experts are in unison in declaring that psychological tests are just one aspect in assessing the broad spectrum of mental and emotional settings of a person whose brain and heart functions are as complex as the divine tapestry weavings called creation which limitations and power have yet to be established fully and convincingly. Psychologists caution too that such tests should be administered, interpreted, interpolated and explained to the subject in an atmosphere of trust, openness and unbiased predispositions by a trained professional in utmost privacy and confidentiality.
This is similar to when non-statistics charlatans pontificate on ratings and rankings of public officials and derive conclusive statements on superficial numerical bases.
We are not dealing here with score sheets of preliminary or midterm examinations, but with the deep recesses of a person’s being and becoming. It is therefore prudent for AJ Arthur Brion’s even without a specific court order that when he finally gets a copy of his psychological tests results, a trained professional and counselor should be by his side to elucidate him professionally on the results.
We cannot relegate the totality of CJ Sereno’s personality vis-à-vis her future acts and behavior to cryptic modalities such as “a low grade of ‘4’, projects a happy mood but has depressive markers too, strong tendency to make decisions based on current mood thus, outcome is highly subjective and self-righteous.” Leaked reports said that she has strong religious sentiments that preoccupy even her minutest activity. (For religious brands like this writer, that would be great!). In fact, media were quick to notice her smiling countenance and high energy levels and spun her  claim that she was “appointed by God.”
Associate Justice Brion’s waiver on his psychological records is a trend setter that could set off a barrage of requests or court orders on publicly revealing anybody’s psychological tests, including the president of the Republic of the Philippines. And what media and the ordinary untrained professional would make out of these revelations is definitely a mess; a form of diversion that we can no longer afford, considering the more pressing matters on hand.
But interestingly, if ever the results are out for some celebrated personalities you would go “crazy” over the results!