Why ‘corruption’ can’t kill ‘corruption’?

Article by Kristan Gile – Beyond the Norms

Simple. You cannot put out fire with fire. You need icy-cold water to extinguish it.

On the day of Blessed Virgin Mary’s nativity, the Philippines’ flood control brouhaha was found in scattered places. You have the Discaya couple, the contractors who bragged about their luxury cars amid accusations of corruption in their public-funded flood control projects, revealing names of certain congressmen who allegedly colluded with them to steal from the nation’s coffers. You also have the Senate coup d’etat replacing then-Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, following his connection with a contractor named Lawrence Lubiano who donated a staggering 30-million campaign funds to the former senate president. 

Then, you have the comedic feat of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, jesting that the senator from San Juan is “marked safe” when Mr. Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya answered that “no senators are involved” in the anomalous projects, at least in their publicly bidded flood control projects. However, the joke is on them, ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez in the House committee hearing alleged Senators Estrada and Joel Villanueva involvement in the flood control scandal. It seems easy to play “safe” or celebrate early, when in fact, you cannot even assure the purity of your conscience.

In layman’s terms, you have all these public officials colluding with contractors and selfishly spending public funds allocated for “flood control projects”. While Manila and other areas in the Philippines are submerged under water, these public officials are celebrating with the money they have got from the taxpayers’ pockets. They go to casinos, spend this hard-earned cash, in exchange for the Filipinos’ security against natural calamities and sickness caused by flooding like leptospirosis.

All, if not most, public officials named in collusion in this corruption scandal have vehemently denied their involvements. However, what do we have observed in public hearings of the Senate and the House of Representatives? We see the same public officials and their colleagues “investigating” the corruption behind the anomalous projects. This is a clear and direct example of conflict of interest. How can they probe something that they, themselves, are potentially involved in? Now that these contractors had named some senators and congressmen, we cannot let the ball of the probe inside the court of the congress. 

In actuality, the public’s attention and time is wasted in these congressional hearings. Most of the time, senators and congressmen avoid asking questions that will incriminate themselves. They are playing safe, sitting on the fence, afraid to throw balls that might backfire. The best example is the line of questioning made by Senator Estrada who thought that by asking Mr. Discaya if there are any senators involved in the corruption, he will save his face and his colleagues’. Their point of inquiry begs the question: who are the public officials involved in the scandal? When they felt the need to identify a few ones, the Discaya couple revealed some names of congressmen who are obviously only at the tip of an iceberg. The Discayas admitted that they began doing projects in 2016 onwards. Where are the names of public officials who served in the congress in those years? Moreso, this does not absolve the potential crimes of ill-gotten wealth against the Discayas. Even if they become state witnesses, they are still implicated and must face criminal charges if the corruption is found true.

Why are the “King and Queen of Flood Control” now playing the victim? Whether they release some names or not, their wealth is still highly questionable. Their nine companies allegedly monopolized the public bidding process of flood control projects. With their 40 luxury cars that cost millions and millions of pesos and their ostentatious display of wealth, how can they claim that they were only being used by politicians? They have enjoyed the wealth brought by these anomalous projects. Yet, they claim that they are of “clear conscience” and are mere instruments by our conniving public officials. They cannot wash their hands clean amid all of these issues. If they truly want to “help” unearthing the dirty, muddy corruption, they should begin by relinquishing to the public any ill-gotten wealth that they may have. In doing so, they could prove that they are genuine and still have integrity left inside them. Or else, we are just wasting our time on their moral theatrics like what Senator Villanueva performed in the plenary as if he is competing in an acting competition of FAMAS and Oscars.

Let us address the Herculean elephant in the room, the power struggle of the two chambers: the Senate and the House. Both of them are mere characters in a Shakespeare play trying to entertain the masses with their sweet words and rhetorics. Like what Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Our “honorable” politicians might have taken that maxim too seriously. To be blunt, we do not need the theatrics of either the Senate and the House. It is a pity that these august chambers are used by public officials to avoid accountability. The Senate blames the House, especially Speaker Martin Romualdez and Congressman Zaldy Co. The House blames the Senate, especially Senators Escudero, Estrada, and Villanueva. Borrowing from the immortal words of Former Senator Miriam Santiago: “Ano magtititigan tayo dito?” Do we really expect that these politicians will willingly put themselves into the flames? Most likely, they will attempt to cover up the issue and put the blame on others.

We cannot kill “corruption” with “corruption”, that is the basic premise, let alone mitigate the fire by adding fuel to it. We cannot have a judge who, we all know, does not have any moral ascendancy to rule out corruption in our government. For that judge will only pound the gavel in favor of their self-interests not of the people. Hence, what we need is an independent body or commission far removed from the political convolution of the Senate and the House so we can begin digging up pieces of evidence that truly matters.

In the recent podcast episode of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he was teary-eyed when asked about the corruption scandal. Then he was asked if he ever regretted being the president, he answered “no” because he finally had the chance “to do something.” Someone who understands basic logic knows that the utterances of the president is a clear “non-sequitur”. It just does not follow. You did not regret being a president because you have finally gotten the chance “to do something.” Yet, you cannot even categorically do something about this blatant corruption but merely become “tear-eyed”? What will be the use of your tears, Mr. President? Can we collect it and use it to drown the plunderers in your government? Nonetheless, it seems like we will be drowning first due to the government’s anomalous flood control projects. You have failed to fulfill your simple platform of unity. At least, you could have been true to your words when you said that corrupt public officials should feel “shame”.

If the government will continue to probe this flood control fiasco as if it is a zarzuela and a circus show, then we should find other avenues to make our wrath felt. If the system fails our earnest call for accountability, a new system should be ushered. It will come out only from a pure point of privilege when one says that we should remain calm, dignified, and at rest in the middle of all of this overt betrayal. How can we stay unperturbed when they are throwing stones up our faces? Yet, they are heavily concerned when we hit back with spoiled fruits and vegetables? 

How can we put out the fire of corruption? In a literal or rhetorical sense, heads must roll!