President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. failed in his promise to jail big-time corrupt personalities in the flood control mess, ACT Teachers’ Reo. Antonio Tinio said.
Christmas has come and gone but the Marcos government has only managed to file charges against a few government engineers and private contractors, Tinio pointed out.
“Bakit walang malaking isda sa kulungan ngayong Pasko?” the Makabayan lawmaker asked.
“They will be locked up. They will not have a Merry Christmas,” Marcos said last month in response to mounting demands that his government start prosecuting officials identified in Independent Commission on Infrastructures (ICI) investigations.
Among the 37 listed by the ICI were Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada; resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co; former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy; and Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana.
Also on the list were former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan; Public Works undersecretaries Roberto Bernardo and the late Maria Catalina Cabral; officials from the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office and DPWH Mimaropa regional office; and private contractors.
Tinio said the Marcos government had been “anemic” on its promise, selective in its prosecution, and lackluster arrests.
The underwhelming result on the Christmas day deadline is a direct result of Marcos Jr.’s efforts to evade accountability and shield himself and his highest officials from investigation, Tinio added.
Both star whistleblower Usec. Bernardo and fugitive Zaldy Co have alleged that kickbacks were paid to the President, Bonoan was allowed to leave the country while Bersamin, Pangandaman, Usec. Jojo Cadiz, and others have been axed from Malacañang but have kept their silence.
Tinio also pointed out that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has not investigated any big fishes in the flood control mess.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee lost interest when the trail led to Malacañang while the House of Representatives packed up their investigation early in the game, he complained.
“Walang malaking isda dahil ginusto nila yan,” Tinio said.
“If Malacañang will not be held accountable, then neither will the leaders of the House and Senate. Marcos and his ruling coalition will protect each other and have each others’ back. They are the big fish that enabled the unprecedented plunder of DPWH funds in the past three years,” he added.
The Makabayan lawmaker said that if Malacañang’s “script” is allowed to play out, perhaps a senator or two, some members of congress, a few contractors, and various lower level functionaries will be charged and prosecuted, after which the President will call it a day and move on.
“But the people will not be satisfied with a curated list of scapegoats. Expect even bigger protests next year,” Tinio vowed. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
