TURNING POINT: A New Dawn

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 22 November) – The flood of corruption is getting out of control, rampaging and sweeping some lawmakers and top officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways to what could be their catastrophic, irrevocable end.

Earlier found bobbling and gasping in corruption flood were incumbent Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva. Mark Villar and Grace Poe joined them later, together with former Senators Ramon Revilla, Nancy Binay, and Sonny Angara.

Lately, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and Secretary Vince Dizon of the DPWH announced that they are filing criminal and administrative charges against former top honchos of the House, former speaker Martin Romualdez, and appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co, for violating Republic Act 7080 or an Act Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Plunder and Section 3A, B, E, and H of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. And finally, Violation of Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code on Direct Bribery.

They, who are supposed to craft laws to protect us from crimes and all forms of injustice, turn out to be the worst criminals and perpetrators of inhuman and corrupt schemes. These unconscionable plunderers must be kept in isolation for life to cut off their influence in society.

Luckily, PBBM, who, in his struggles to correct the ignominious past of his forebears and absolve himself, is becoming an ardent crusader against corruption. He has assured that none will be spared, including kin and friends, from his war on corruption. Romualdez, his cousin, will test his will. If the axe fell on his cousin, then he really meant business.

This is the first time that the country’s president has directly taken the cudgel against corruption. He would, accordingly, finish to the end what he started.

The hunt is fruitful. The plate of the Ombudsman is filled to the brim. So is that of the Department of Justice for private offenders.

If only to avoid delay in dispensing justice, a continuous trial should be adopted in the hearing of corruption cases, especially for those charged with plunder, and the accused should already be clamped in jail during the trial. This would be a sweet victory for the Filipino people, who for a long time have been robbed clean and prostrate by criminals in the government service.

Corruption won’t end with the present war against it, but will certainly be stunted. It is good enough.

What is happening is a significant chapter in our country’s history to be proud of.

It is a dawn of hope to rejoice.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental.)