corruption is a way of life...

Katie:

I know someone who, after 11 years of loyal service, has been charged of THEFT by the North Luzon Expressway administration. This guy know three more from his department who has been charged with the same accusation. I'm not surprised. NLEX is closing in the coming months, and transferring authority to the Lopez clan. This guy whom I know should be receiving a sum of half a million pesos as separation pay. There's no need to expound on this. The thought that the Lopezes bending the law just to get their precious money off the poor workers is enough to make me sick.

But what can we do? These are the people who are currently running the country. There was a time when this is supposed to be a big secret from the public's eyes. Now, it's becoming a fact of life. The government has sold it's means to give us it's services (water, public works, NAPOCOR later on...). In the coming years, the Philippines is to become a big corporate machinery, where the government is useless, and the rich will control our destiny. Heck, if the government is to give off it's services through privatization, WHY ARE WE STILL OBLIGED TO PAY OUR TAXES. Imagine, my aunt, who is paid forty grands a week, has her earnings cut to almost half because of taxes. Where does the money go? Basic services? Hah.


Ahmad:

Congratulations! We are the 11th most corrupt country in the world. Two of our former presidents made it the top ten list of most corrupt leaders of all time. It makes you sometimes wish that corruption should have been an Olympic sport. Had it been an Olympic sport we would have a good chance of winning the gold. And why not? Corruption is so profound in this country that every single ministry of the government has a problem with graft and corruption. From the PCSO to the DPWH, graft is everywhere get used to it!

I haven't been much of an anti-GMA, but I think I'm pretty unsatisfied with how Gloria is running her country. And now Malacañang claims that former presidents Estrada and Marcos are to blame for the Philippines being included in that list. Man, was my intelligence insulted again? Come on! its been almost two decades since Marcos was ousted and almost half a decade since Erap has been arrested. But the status quo really didn't change that much now, did it? I mean if other countries saw how much we have worked hard to fight corruption, then they wouldn't include us in that list of most corrupt countries. To get over a screw up GMA can lift a finger or point a finger (to Marcos and Erap), she chose the easy way to cover her @ss.

So what do we propose now? do we go to EDSA again and oust a president? Then what? Do we replace her with another president, and if that presidents screws up again do we keep going back to EDSA? Although people power is has been the greatest legacy of the Philippines, it can also be and inevitably become our own Frankenstein monster.

Lets put it in simple analogy. Have a basketful of fresh tomatoes and put one rotten tomato inside it. Every fresh tomato will eventually be spoiled. It does not matter if you keep adding more fresh tomatoes in the basket, they will all be spoiled unless you remove all that is rotten and make sure that the basket is clean. I am not suggesting for the resignation of all public officials and neither do I want to promote anarchy. Until we get at to the very core of the system and change it, we will keep ending up right where we started. I remember a friend of mine who used to work in congress, he said that a rookie congressman is very idealistic, dedicated, and principled. But once he realizes the political realities, such as you need to have friends to support your legislation, and to maintain your political Career, before his first term is up he will also be corrupt. Give him another term and he will also begin to corrupt others.

Don't you think that it is so funny that we know how much is being lost every year because of graft and corruption, we also know where graft and corruption happens, we know how it happens, and we know when it happens. If we knew so much, then how come no public official in the national level at least has been jailed. Erap has been arrested but he is not exactly in jail. In fact Sandigan bayan asked Erap to donate one of his rest houses to the government so he can be detained there. I have a better suggestion for the sandigan bayan, why don't they just dress up in red clown suit on the next hearing and ask Erap to donate the infamous Boracay mansion, so he can be detained there. If sandigan bayan is to make an infomercial it should include the slogan, "Kung akusahan ka ng bayan, huwag kang mag-alala, may sandigan kang matibay, sagot ka ng Sandigan bayan!". So boys and girls, the message to you is loud and clear, if your gonna steal something, make sure you do it when you are the highest public official, because you become special in the eyes of the judiciary.

Oh and here is another one. Major General Carlos Garcia, failed to attend several sessions of congress, because his doctor said that he is in a critical condition that he needs to be confined in the intensive care unit. He has sleep apnea! that in simple english means, he snores when he sleeps. Hey! my room mate snores when he sleeps, but he wasn't hospitalized for that. AFP is also providing him with security because he is receiving death threats. Now this is the first time that I saw a suspect being given security by the state. Now of course AFP is being pissed off with congress saying that the allegations of corruption in the AFP is demoralizing the entire military. Oh is that so?! if they are so demoralized, then why don't they investigate Gen. Garcia themselves I mean my parents told me that if I stole something from anybody, the first punishment I should worry about is the one coming from them, because they wanted to protect our family's integrity. Hold up! isn't honesty and integrity part of the PMA motto? hmmmm.

You know what I fantasize doing sometimes? I want to wear that Punisher costume (Black shirt printed with the big white menacing skull) carry a fully loaded 50 caliber machine gun, walk in the middle of the session hall of congress or senate or even Malacañang, and go ala Tony Montana (Al Pacino's character in the movie Scarface)saying "Say ello to my little friend!", and spray every one with bullets. Talk about gangsta justice! Damn I love Scarface!

OK seriously now. I think the bottom line here is that corruption has been part of the culture of our government. The only way to go about it is to promote massive catharsis among all public officials. But until that day happens, ill still be keeping into consideration that Punisher costume and all that Scarface Quote.