Bribes galore

Now we have in abundance the offering of "a price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promise with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust" (Webster). Last week as I wrote that such act niggle us i.e., bother, irritate and trouble us. The failed bribe attempts made public on Joey de Venecia III, Romulo Neri, and Crispin Beltran did not stop the practice nor were isolated incidents. It is abhorring to realize now that such is allegedly standard government procedure perceived from the growing controversy relating to the distribution of an estimated more than P120 million to congressmen and governors in Malacañang.

Where did the money come from? What was the objective/purpose/motive for the distribution of the fund? Who authorized the distribution of the financial resources? These are questions that now need to be answered by executive-privilege-inclined Malacañang, especially after Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon just announced that the combat pay of our soldiers cannot be released due to lack of funds.

We admire and are grateful to Bulacan Gov. Joselito "Jonjon" Mendoza and Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio for admitting they received P500,000 each from the Palace, as well as, Negros Oriental Gov. Emilio Macias III, for acknowledging he received P200,000 and understood that the funds were intended for the scheduled visit of the President to Dumaguete City on Oct. 29 to launch the integrated tax collection system.

Meanwhile, it would be interesting to know how Gov. Mendoza will respond to the various requests for a "share" of the subject funds he received, as well as, to the possibility that Gov. Panlilio would have to return the bundle of cash in response to the advise from Exodus 23:8 "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." (NIV). I do hope Gov. Panlilio returns the funds and we are able see the face who accepts the money in return.

With the coming barangay elections and the explanations and/or clarifications being issued by Department of Budget and Management Secretary Rolando Andaya, Malacañang's Office of the Political Coalition Affairs head Tonypet Albano, and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito "Lito" Atienza on the brewing distribution of money in Malacañang scandal reminds me of the following story.

It was election time, again. So, a politician decided to go out campaigning to gather support from the Indios. They were all assembled in the Barangay Hall to hear the speech. The politician had worked up to his finale, and the crowd was getting more and more excited. "I promise better education opportunities for Indios!" The crowd went wild, shouting "Hoya! Hoya!" The politician was a bit puzzled by the native word, but was encouraged by their enthusiasm. "I promise to fight graft and corruption!" "Hoya! Hoya!" cried the crowd, stomping their feet. "I promise more social reforms and job opportunities for Indios!" The crowd reached a frenzied pitch shouting "Hoya! Hoya! Hoya!" After the speech, the politician was touring the barangay, and saw a herd of carabaos. Since he was raised on a barrio, and knew a bit about carabaos, he asked the Indio escort if he could get closer to take a look at the carabaos. "Sure," the Indio escort said, "but be careful not to step on the hoya."*