Thursday, November 27, 2008 Corruption in government By Elias l. Espinoza Free Zone
That there is less corruption in Cebu than in Metro Manila, according to respondents of a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, is not a reason for public servants here to rejoice. Corruption, even if it is lesser, is still ugly.
The SWS survey showed that the number of respondents who believe that corruption is rampant in Cebu even increased by 2 percent compared to last year, which was 57 percent. It was only in Metro Davao that the percentage decreased tremendously.
The headline “Less graft in Cebu” in Tuesday’s issue of Sun.Star was perhaps meant to highlight the point that government officials in Metro Manila are more corrupt than their counterparts in Cebu.
The survey only affirms what the public has suspected all the time. It also provided respondents with a medium and the freedom to express their views and sentiments against corruption in government.
It is in the procurement of supplies and equipment as well as in infrastructure projects, all of which involve huge funds, where corruption is prevalent.
I have reservations, though, on the finding that contractors bribe government officials to win contracts. From what I know, government officials are the ones that shamelessly demand huge share or percentage of contracts, especially the juicy ones.
Businessmen who want to survive and keep their status as contractors as well as retain their work force have no choice but to bow to the demands of corrupt government officials. It is a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.
I have been in media for some time, starting as a reporter and now as columnist, but I have not heard the Ombudsman or the Bureau of Internal Revenue question government officials whose assets suddenly bloat after a year or more in office.
We know that salaries of government officials and employees are not attractive compared with the private sector but some officials are even well off than some lawyers who have been in the practice for more than 20 years.
These government officials even have the gall to flaunt their wealth in public. They ride in expensive cars and wear expensive jewelry that starlets could not perhaps afford.
Some victims of corruption or those who witness dishonest acts of public officials prefer not to report or file a complaint with the Ombudsman because they feel that nothing would happen to it.
The feeling of mistrust is largely due to the fact that if those charged are influential people or big fishes in government graft cases against them would not prosper.
The mistrust with the Office of the Ombudsman is probably due to the closeness of its top official with the powers that be. Also, not one big fish has been charged or sent to jail for corruption.
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As a Catholic, I feel sad when priests are accused of corruption or sexual harassment. Attempts to cover up the misdeed only amplify the people’s mistrust towards the priests.
Human beings as they are, priests are not free from mistakes. But this is not an excuse, as they are in a vocation where people look up to them with reverence.
I am not saying that the priests of Virgen de la Regla parish in Lapu-Lapu City are guilty as charged. But as ministers of Jesus Christ’s teachings, they should be circumspect in handling the church’s funds and in dealing with their parishioners.
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Congratulations to Sun.Star Cebu, its officers, the editorial staff, reporters and the pioneers (which include me), on its 26th founding anniversary. Cheers!
