There are 24 senators and 317 members of the House of Representatives. Is it correct to say that nine out of ten of them are corrupt? Or all of them only depending on the degree of their greed? Greed which can be described as a bottomless pit. How come in those hearings in the Senate and House of Representatives, they grill the public works engineers, contractors and other resource persons as if they are all beyond reproach? As if they didn’t benefit from those flood control projects. It’s a case of the kettle calling the pot black.
I am also curious what is today's moral culture on several institutions like those line departments which are under the office of the president. I am constrained to ask if there are still honest public officials in our country. I will answer my own question. Maybe there are some, even in the graft ridden offices like the Bureau of Customs , Public Works, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Education,etc.
Many past presidents waged their own battle to stamp corruption but apparently no one succeeded. In President Duterte’s administration we witnessed several investigations of anomalous transactions by the Blue Ribbon committee in the upper house, one of which is the deal with Pharmally which can turn any stomach out. Nothing happened! (Hanggang imbestigasyon lang). From P5 trillion national debt when Duterte was the Malacanang tenant, it rose to P13 trillion when he packed his bags and headed home to Davao. This aside from his alleged crimes he committed against humanity that’s why he is still in prison in Netherlands.
It is in the House of Representatives where the National Expenditure Program (NEP) passes through. It is there where insertions happen. Also in the bicameral, aka ‘third congress’. Items which runs to billions which are widely known to be the biggest source of kickbacks. The executive budget is tackled first in the lower house and then goes up to the senate where it is scrutinized. Many of the past and present day solons got rich and fed their families with ill gotten money. And they have no qualms about it. These lawmakers who abused their pork barrel funds are all smiles because they were able to seek refuge with their own lies and justifications.
The reports saying that each congressmen getting a share of P1 billion each is so mind boggling. Some get ten, twenty or even thirty percent on projects dispensed to willing contractors. The percentage depends on how greedy he or she is. I know the greedy ones, but I am not telling because I don’t have any proof except the stories told to me by contractor friends. Earlier, I got the feeling that the citizenry was so unresponsive and seemingly don’t care to listen to legitimate issues. No longer true today as evidenced by the uproar by the huge rallies highlighted in September 21.
I know somehow, the corrupt may only lie low in the meantime and are awaiting for when everything will die down. Old habits die hard. The answer is vigilance. Continued vigilance.