Make Duterte accountable for corruption cases by not voting for his allies

The Feb. 4 editorial (“Pharmally and the President’s men”) noted: “Making Cabinet officials and the appointing powers accountable for their involvement in plundering much-needed funds during a global health crisis—unforgivable as the Senate report pointed out—might yet be one of the best government responses to the pandemic.”

The Senate report zeroed in on the fact that all that scam that caused the government’s loss to the tune of billions of pesos happened “under the nose of the President” who not only hellaciously defended the scumbags but also berated the senators who were digging deeper into that plunder.

But obviously, all this talk about accountability of President Duterte, his Cabinet officials, and his other corrupt appointees can only happen if the electorate will vote for a new president, who has never been known to have kissed Mr. Duterte’s ass at one time or another. Among the presidential aspirants worth mentioning:

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is, without any doubt, an unabashed admirer of Mr. Duterte if only for the latter’s “leadership” in orchestrating the Supreme Court composed largely of Duterte-appointees into allowing his father a “hero’s burial” despite being the most despicable and venal president this country ever had the misfortune of enduring.

Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is a young upstart brimming with too much ambition who could not even win a seat in the Senate the first and the last time he tried. Try as he might now to project himself as no stooge of Mr. Duterte, he has never seriously distanced himself from the latter as evidenced by his continuous longing for his “endorsement.” Banking on his performance as Manila city mayor, he really has nothing to crow about as corruption is still rampant in his own City Hall’s bureaucracy. Just ask any contractor!

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has always demonstrated too much caution whenever speaking about the “kapalpakan” of the Duterte administration. More telling is his association with his running mate, former Senate president Vicente Sotto III, who has been in the tank for Mr. Duterte over the years and has seldom spoken against the latter’s mishandling of government affairs.

Sen. Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has nothing to show for the years he has parlayed his popularity in the boxing arena into a seat in the House of Representatives and then in the Senate. Since the time Mr. Duterte campaigned for president, Pacquiao stood by his side and was never heard criticizing him until the time he decided to run for president himself. And even then, he is seen as speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Not to belittle his innate intelligence that brought him enormous fame and fortune in the world of sports, he is way in over his head on this political contest.

Finally, Vice President Leni Robredo, now also a presidential candidate, is the ONLY ONE, if elected the new head of state, who can truly enforce accountability by:

Delivering Mr. Duterte to the International Criminal Court to answer for the “extrajudicial killings” in his “war on drugs” which has claimed the lives of thousands of mere suspects under his mindless “kill, kill, kill” policy.

Sacking Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra who has not done his job as the country’s premier prosecutor but has, instead, been playing footsie with criminals within Mr. Duterte’s inner circle of friends.

Having Ombudsman Samuel Martires impeached for all his incompetence and the egregious protection he has given to plunderers, grafters, and corrupt officials in the Duterte officialdom.

Putting the super-majority of Duterte-appointed Supreme Court justices on notice that the whole nation will be watching how committed they really are to rise above public perceptions of their loyalty to Mr. Duterte.

ARNULFO M. EDRALIN
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