A few days ago a guest author on this blog reminded PN officials the party’s statute gives them the responsibility to step up whenever the Leader of the party is unequal to his job.

That author focused on Mark Anthony Sammut among others, as President of the party’s executive committee. That committee groups together elected representatives from all sides of the party. Its committees up and down the country, its elected officials in local, national and European assemblies, its branches — women, professionals, workers, youths — and so on.

On a month to month basis, it is the governing body of the party, its locus on policy matters, and the place were guidance is sought on major choices of candidates.

Critics of my guest author reminded him that all party officials got their post after Adrian Delia was elected and that therefore they might feel obliged to do his bidding.

But maybe in the midst of all the rubble, and in the din of the walls crushing about our ears, we forget that not everyone left in the PN thinks the same way as those thugs that come over Facebook every time their “dear” “beloved” “democratically elected” Leader is tickled by some fact they wish did not exist.

Mark Anthony Sammut told Times of Malta this morning what should have been unanimous common sense. The allegations Adrian Delia is facing are serious and the party should not be dragged in anyone’s personal feuds.

From The Sunday Times this morning: “Far from adopting a business-as-usual attitude, the high-ranking party official admitted he was ‘very worried’ about the situation.

“’The allegations made, including sworn allegations, and footage circulating are very disturbing and some of the allegations are of a criminal nature,’ he said.

“Mr Sammut is among those in the party who subscribe to the view that this saga is doing the PN no good.”

It should be so simple to understand. Even by those trolls who rather dimly say “this should be private” when Adrian Delia’s outbursts at his party office or on his party radio are reported. How right you are, you turnips. Of course they’re private. That’s the whole point. Why should the party be involved in any of this?

Here we are very publicly taken up by this very private affair.

Though, even as Mark Anthony Sammut remarks, not of all of it is as private as these trolls would like it to be. If my neighbour leaves her spouse because she caught him having an affair, that’s private and nobody’s business. If the MP who is my neighbour does so, you may or may not agree the argument stands.

But if my neighbour, whom nobody knows and is an entirely private person, leaves her spouse because he beats her, he cannot tell the police ‘hey this is private’.

Criminal acts are not private, even if committed privately.

Mark Anthony Sammut will have a hard time. When Adrian Delia went on the radio today to say whoever is criticising him is doing so on Joseph Muscat’s instructions, he was saying that after Mark Anthony Sammut’s remarks were published.

The bullying will be tough.

But someone has to face this and Mark Anthony Sammut has today stepped up to the plate. Maybe he won’t be left alone.