Not too long ago, the Philippine longhouse erupted with nervous activity. The flood-control bomb exploded and everybody in the house scrambled for cover. Not from the bomb that blew up in their faces but from the anger of a people that have long suffered from their disgusting greed and corruption.
One resigned. Another skipped out of the country. Some assumed lead roles in preliminary investigations the better to avoid implicating themselves and favored colleagues. Others, hypocritically protective of an integrity that was never there anyway, went into cover-up operations mainly by muddling the issue. But since they were investigating themselves, one cannot hope for the naked truth to come out.
And sure enough, just as expected truth is still nowhere to be found. Nine months away from the explosion, we are not nearer to the truth than when we first started. After the initial shock, everything went quiet in the long house. All the shades came down and one can’t see what is going on inside.
We were promised convictions after Christmas; yet it’s already the end of April and all suspects are still under preliminary investigation. Instead, controlled mainstream media shifted attention to the impeachment of Vice President and her dad’s imprisonment and trial at the International Criminal Court.
(They are pursuing the impeachment of VP Sara Duterte for her unexplained wealth and unliquidated intelligence funds. But who among our officials does not enjoy intelligence funds? Who has not become extremely wealthy in office? And, whose idea was it to include unprogrammed funds in the national budget?)
Zaldy Co’s being located seems like good news. But already, the long house is conditioning us to believe it will take a while to investigate him. First, the house is only hoping Co could be back here in one to three weeks. But the latest is that he may no longer be under Czech custody. So, where is Co? Besides, as if to condition us to not expect anything, the long house is asking if Zaldy Co is “ready to tell the truth” if and when he comes.
The high prices of oil and other basic goods provided a welcome excuse to slow down all investigations. Since people in the long house were caught unprepared for the crisis, one can just imagine busy feet scurrying around for solutions to a problem that, if unsolved, could render one million more people poor.
As of late, some were seen and heard campaigning early for the 2028 elections. But of all issues, these early starters campaigned for people to stand with them in defending our rights to the West Philippine Sea. What can be farthest from voters’ minds? The issues that matter to voters in the coming elections are mainly corruption and the high cost of living.
Now talk is rife about the top house resident being sick. Strange that while claiming to have nothing to hide, the long house insists there is no need to show the public the results of the man’s latest physical exam. Nothing dispels the people’s doubt better than seeing those results. Better anyway than lifting a 10-kilo bag of rice.
A disturbing quiet has settled on the long house. Hopefully, they are not cooking our goose any more than they already have.