It is not an unusual scene to see Pajeros and other luxury cars carrying local legislators and other top officials being ushered by Presidential Security Guards into the Malacanang Palace. But just recently, specifically last Thursday, October 11, everybody made a big fuss out of the long queue of special-plated sedans entering the Mendiola area. The affair? A “breakfast” and some “inauguration.” Well and fine.
But days after, one by one, some of the officials admitted having accepted some kind of “gift” upon attending the breakfast on Thursday morning. The gift? Cash inside envelopes and brown bags. Cold cash reports say amounted to around P200,000-500,000. Newly-elected Pampanga Governor and former priest Ed Panlilio admitted on Sunday he indeed accepted P500K “in good faith” from some Malacanang lady they didn’t even bothered to get the name, with unknown reasons. It was followed by Bulacan Rep. Mendoza, then by PGMA’s close ally Manila Rep. Abante. On Monday morning, the CBCP lauded Honest Ed (Panlilio) and urged the others who joined the breakfast to do the same, as part of the call to end corruption and the cleansing of the government.
There were 148 congressmen who were present. 91 governors. 4 mayors. The long list of those who confessed goes on. But the list of those who deny seems to go longer. They said they never were given cash. They even said they never saw bags or envelopes being handed. And they said that if ever they were given, they would have readily accepted it. Reliable sources put the value of cash distributed to be at P120M.
Ok, now. Where did all these hullabaloo come from, and why make a big fuss out of it? In an exclusive interview with GMA News last Thursday, Rep. Abante said that these distributions are actually a normal part of Palace transactions, but not as “bribes” as most people take it. He said they (officials) normally accept cash as Christmas gifts (Gov. Grace Padaca also admitted accepting Christmas cards with P50,000 cash last year from Pres. Arroyo), and concluded that what he received last Thursday was actually additional support money for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections on October 29. He clearly denied that it was “bribe” money for them to trash the impeachment complaint against PGMA. And he was firm on his stand that the people are actually just exaggerating on interconnecting the numerous scandals that has transpired over the past weeks: the upcoming elections, the ZTE NBN deal, the resignation of Abalos as COMELEC Chair, the strained relationship between the President and the Speaker of the House JDV, and the impeachment complaint filed by Her Excellency’s “best friends.”
But looking at this closely might make one give it a second thought. If the money were intended for additional support for the upcoming B&SK elections, why “did not” the other governors and representatives receive their share? Isn’t that quite unfair?
Moreover, Malacanang says that every cent spent on any project is to be recorded on the audit books, and money received must obviously be paired with an official receipt. First question: did the money come from public treasury or from private wealth? And, regardless where it came from, if they say that it is an official transaction, why not issue a receipt? Funny thing is, the audit guy wasn’t even present at the breakfast. (One official who refused to be named said the breakfast was indeed about the impeachment complaint, and at the end of the talks, they mustered that this only hinders the public interest and decided to support the administration to trash it)
All these would indeed generate more speculations in the following days to come; and worse, a very bad headache to the public. Issues branch crazily from nowhere. When you read the headlines, there is clamor for Honest Ed to return the money. And Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Editorial last Wednesday was even about the dilemma of Governor Panlilio on his stand as a former pastor and a new politician. Other news tell us about JDV III’s statement that PGMA and her administration would not change, followed by his very flowery speech on his “advocacy” to fight corruption in the land, with Sen. Nene Pimentel.
Come to think of it, it all started when this guy from Amsterdam Holdings Inc. tried to tell the world how one, COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos got involved in the $329M contract with ZTE, and two, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo told him to “Back off.” And the rest, as they say, is history. We have Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago ending up giving a public apology to Chinese people after saying that “Chinese are the inventor of corruption in the world” in one of the hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee. We also have NEDA Chair Romulo Neri suffering from “gastrointestinal diseases” and not making it to Senate hearing after fingers were pointed at him for signing the entry of the contract into Philippine premises.
The news progresses, more info coming out, more evidences rushing in, and more issues keep branching. The Senate investigates. The Senate investigates. The Senate investigates. The Senate investigates. Ok, that’s just my figurative exaggeration that the SENATE JUST INVESTIGATES; yet nothing happens. And it seems like they’re just on one live sitcom every time they do that. And see who assert themselves lately to the limelight. Senator Mar Roxas. Senator XXX. Senator XXX. Presidential race, anyone? You only have three more years to go. But wait. Where on earth are the people who must be held accountable for all these? Senator Allan Cayetano, Chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee? And of course our beloved PGMA, we demand an explanation. Don’t tell me the next thing you’re going to do is appear on national TV ONCE MORE with a very pathetic look (ahem, directed by Lupita Kashiwahara) telling us, “I’m sorry.” Or perhaps a Marcos declaring Presidential Decree 1081 in mid-air? Nope, no thanks.
But I think the more important issue here is that the people are already tired of you, Misters and Madams in your very beautiful offices. Well I’m not generalizing here, you know. But more or less 90% of you. Watchdogs and people making themselves aware of the issue is good news to me already. But of course, it will never be enough. Sad to say, I see Philippine politics as the new showbiz. Issues like this become the talk of the town today. It spreads through tongues like wildfire, but the next thing you know, it has long died out naturally, without even a single firefighter’s effort. Sometimes with all these f*cking politicians I can’t help but think of the meanest way I can do to kill them altogether in one air strike. Yes, a single blow to cleanse them all, because it will tire the hell out of me if I do it one by one. But that would make a total hypocrite out of me. Even if I have the power to do so, never in my dreams would I do something that you’ve always done.
Intelligence reports say the AFP is doing its very best to remain neutral regarding the very alarming situation. And why? Because once even one guy falters, a civil war might be on the rise. And it’s not far from happening because it once should’ve transpired way back 1986 when Lt. Tadiar faced the thousands of people holding food and flowers with the threat of tanks bombing them anytime on his command during the world-renowned EDSA Revolution.
EDSA Revolution. The day people clamored for Marcos to flee the country. EDSA Dos. The day people clamored for Erap to resign. The day VPGMA was sworn to power. Just yesterday, people were clamoring along the streets in Makati calling for Arroyo’s resignation. Honestly I don’t want another EDSA. And oh God, who would be President if she resigns? VP Noli de Castro? I don’t want another Erap. Who does?
Come to think of it, it’s not only I who think this way. I’m pretty certain there are millions of me at this point in time. But if so, why can’t we walk in a single manner towards a single direction? Is our unity only limited to when Pacman has a very big main event in Las Vegas? #
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