Sunday, February 24, 2008 Cabaero: Legislate on greed By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
THE Senate investigation into the corruption that marked the national broadband deal continues this week with a resolution still unclear.
Movements have cropped up from the investigation, such as the drive to search for truth initiated by civic and religious groups and the call for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by several groups.
The Senate investigation into the national broadband network contract is for the purpose of checking excesses of the executive department, which is part of its functions; but its primary function of legislation could still play a role in how this drama will end.
If only we could legislate on greed, then there would be no whistleblower to confess to Senate about being tasked to moderate the greed of government officials and other personalities. Then the problem of corruption would be solved.
We would have public servants happy with the compensation they get. We would have government officials whose stay in public office does not become a right by virtue of family name or participation in the collection of grease money, but a responsibility entrusted to them by the people.
We would have good roads, better infrastructure, meaningful jobs, affordable homes, more hospitals and free medicine and more funds for education and the drive against dengue.
That would be something for Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” if that happened because, in reality, there are laws against corruption, but grafters in government do not know the meaning of rule of law or unashamedly disregard laws, especially as they have backers in the right places.
One of the sayings that came out of the Senate investigation into the national broadband deal was that made by whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada who said he was tasked to “moderate the greed” of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and former elections chief Benjamin Abalos.
The testimonies of Lozada have resurrected issues of graft against the husband of the President and Abalos, and have given impetus to calls for the President’s resignation. The movement for the truth to come out in the investigations is gaining the support of students, business leaders and members of the Church hierarchy. Protest actions, including masses, are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday to support the call for truth.
Former president Fidel V. Ramos described it last Friday as the return of greed, apathy and corruption when he spoke in the opening of the commemoration of the People Power 1 of 1986, with President Arroyo in attendance.
With the return of apathy, greed and corruption, does this mean we throw to the garbage bin any hope for a graft-free government?
No. To do that would render as exercises in futility the recent efforts to cleanse government, to make people accountable, and to set correctly the priorities in government spending.
