Saturday, August 02, 2008 Editorials: Twist in the Meralco case
THE case arising from the failed bid of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to take control of Meralco may not have ended after the Court of Appeals (CA) decided in favor of the Lopezes.
In a sense, it may have just begun.
Tug-of-war
The questionable manner the case was decided and the subsequent claim of a CA justice, Jose Sabio Jr., of an attempt to bribe him so the decision would favor the Lopezes, have tainted the CA decision.
The counter-claim of businessman Francis Roa de Borja, whom Sabio accused of relaying the bribe offer of the Lopezes to him, only made the issue more interesting.
De Borja’s statement that Sabio told him of a government bribe offer, plus appointment to the Supreme Court, to rule in favor of GSIS, placed the issue in perspective.
This shows that the tug-of-war over Meralco has turned bloody.
Bribery issue
It is doubtful, however, whether the truth in this latest twist in the Meralco case can ever be ascertained considering the resources at the disposal of the powers involved.
The more likely direction the case will go is to the Supreme Court, which will also more likely be able to decide first on the merits of the main case than on the Sabio-Roa issue.
Still, the bribery issue shows us the length some groups will go to influence the actions of institutions like the CA.
Corrupter
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetaqno, reacting to the controversy, may have hit the nail right on the head when he pinpointed the angle of corruption in the private sector.
Indeed, the fight against corruption has overly focused on government functionaries and politicians that too often the bribe giver, usually from the private sector, is overlooked.
The country suffers as much from widespread corruption in government as from the objectionable acts of the private sector, especially those with almost unlimited bribe money at their disposal.
The point is simple: corruption won’t exist without both the corrupted and the corrupter.
