We were wrong all along, fellas

By Al S. Mendoza

 

UNTIL the P10-billion scam hit newspaper headlines, we thought all along that our government has always been short of money.

Until whistleblowers exposed a web of corruption that robbed us blind, we thought all along that our senators and congressmen were scandal-free.

And, until a lady named Janet Lim-Napoles hit national consciousness, we thought all along that all NGOs dealt with government armed with impeccable integrity and immaculate mission of purity.

We were wrong all along, fellas.

And so, seemingly now, I cannot take it any longer, this almost daily barrage of stinking news bordering endlessly on people’s money being stolen in rapaciously, wild abandon.

Almost, I am at my so-called wit’s end.

It began with Benhur Luy claiming he was detained against his will by Napoles, Luy’s cousin and the alleged mastermind of a billions-of-pesos scam.

According to Luy, P10 billion of pork barrel funds a.k.a. government money went into the pockets mainly of senators and congressmen and Napoles herself upon the machinations of Napoles.

At first, NBI agents dismissed Luy’s illegal detention allegations as they bought Napoles’ claim that Luy, her chief aide, was merely “on retreat.”

But did Napoles pay said NBI agents?

Because, in succeeding events, Luy was rescued by a new batch of NBI agents as they responded to Luy’s distress call made through Luy’s parents.

Through the Department of Justice, Luy, backed by the NBI, sued Napoles for serious illegal detention and Napoles is now behind bars without bail.

The alleged P10-billion scam masterminded allegedly by Napoles has yet to reach the halls of justice.

In fairness to Napoles, she deserves due process of law.

So that until she gets convicted of the charge/s filed already and to be filed against her, Napoles is innocent—even as in the public mind, she is already guilty.

But what is really blood-boiling to all of these screaming, scam-laden headlines is the huge amount of government money being disbursed just as easily as combing your hair before breakfast.

It is not only teeth-gnashing, it is too bizarrely unbelievable that amid woes of want and cries of more job security and food on the table, here we are being treated to a sordid saga of people’s money just being stuffed so mindlessly into pockets of a selected few.

And while President Aquino seemed clean on the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) mess a.k.a. pork barrel scam, here comes now his own DAP being placed under the microscope.

His DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) of P72 billion in savings under the Office of the President is now reportedly the source of nearly P4-billion given to senators who had voted to uncrown Chief Justice Renato Corona last year.

“Is there a bribe after the fact?” P-Noy asked.

A skunk by any name will smell just as bad.

Where will P-Noy’s “right path” lead us, only God knows.

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