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Ever since President Marcos Jr. delivered his “disgrace” speech in July, we’ve been regaled with rituals of advantage signaling from events and personalities donning the modern cape of the anti-corruption crusader. And we’ve cause to be cautious.
We’ve native politicians and nationwide figures who’re strolling contradictions; outspoken, nearly messianic, of their campaign in opposition to corruption, but defenders and enablers of former president Rodrigo Duterte and all of the carnage, impunity, and large-scale corruption that his administration embodied. They are often so sensitive about their DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) loyalties.
They criticize the brazen lack of transparency from supposedly corrupt congressmen, the nation’s drift to ethical decay, and wail about our nationwide disgrace, however dismiss or evade legitimate questions on their dealings with blacklisted or favored contractors. All makes an attempt at scrutinizing their efficiency as public officers are instantly tagged as political assaults.
A few of them burst into the general public scene freshly-scrubbed with new mandates from the Marcos administration. They stage media occasions with the nervous vitality of over-caffeinated geeks pulling all nighters. All of the huffing and puffing and hero posing whereas inspecting flood management initiatives in entrance of tv cameras. Throw in alternative expletives to make sure social media virality and ship low frequency indicators to the Duterte devoted and people pining for a rebooted Duterte with out the luggage of his vice president-daughter. The message: “Bata ‘nyo ako.”
To not be outdone, the Liberal Get together (LP) desires to remind everybody that they’re, or had been, the celebration of advantage and decency. In a current fellowship, the celebration devoted reanimated “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap,” a slogan proclaimed lifeless and buried in 2016 after their candidate misplaced to the Davao Butcher. The occasion gave off unique membership vibes.
Pleasant even when unwelcome recommendation, although. The LP management and their pink allies have to acknowledge and confront their previous, lest they verify the long-held accusation of hypocrisy and elitism.
Once they had been in energy, the Liberals had been additionally beneficiant in allotting taxpayer’s cash, within the type of Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds, to celebration members and allies in Congress (The identical members and allies who instantly pledged timeless loyalty to Duterte after the election). The DAP funds sweetened the impeachment and conviction of former chief justice Renato Corona. When public outrage over the Napoles scandal led to a Supreme Courtroom determination declaring the disbursement unconstitutional, pork barrel obtained a brand new title: congressional insertions.
The Liberals handled political enemies, actual or imagined, with ruthless crafty. It was a playbook copied from the Arroyo administration, coated in self-righteousness and the resolute perception that they alone tread the straight path. That path led us to 6 years of darkness.
Efficiency as theater
Widespread indignation over corruption has offered an expedient cowl for these personalities and events raring to return to energy. We’re witnessing efficiency not in pursuit of shaking the established order or ending corruption with finality, however efficiency as theater.
The following presidential election will probably be one other try at restoration. And not one of the seen and outspoken gamers will probably be searching for the Marcoses after 2028. You possibly can anticipate the DDS to demand payback, whereas the Liberals couldn’t care much less.
Each presidential candidate for the reason that 1986 EDSA Revolution has pledged to eradicate corruption. The Liberals even made it the important thing pillar of their 2010 marketing campaign. However corruption didn’t solely persist; it mutated and grew, grew to become extra brazen and institutionalized.
This provides a cautionary story, significantly for individuals who plan to enter politics with their idealism intact. Throughout the Estrada and Arroyo administrations, a number of younger leaders emerged and captured the general public’s consideration. They had been hailed for combating seemingly unwinnable battles in opposition to sitting presidents, applauded for standing on the correct aspect of historical past even when they had been solid out by their friends. The individuals rewarded them with increased workplace. However these younger leaders ultimately become these they as soon as condemned, forgetting their idealism whereas retaining and perfecting the flexibility to casually invoke the Bible and the legislation to justify their unpardonable opportunism, to exist and survive by means of calculated acts of pretense.
The nationwide obsession with corruption, for which we begrudgingly thank the President, has been hijacked by these political forces. It’s a ticket to successful the final word political prize. It’s additionally a hammer by which to smash the incumbent’s eroding political capital. And as in previous elections, this single-issue obsession will deprive us but once more the chance to have a deeper and troublesome nationwide dialog of what actually ails us as a nation. – Rappler.com
Joey Salgado is a former journalist, and a authorities and political communications practitioner. He served as spokesperson for former vice chairman Jejomar Binay.
