“The citizen can bring our political and governmental institutions back to life, make them responsive and accountable, and keep them honest. No one else can.”
John W. Gardner, US Secretary of Health and Education, 1965-68 |
Prof. Boncodin, in one of the forums she had appeared in to help people understand the the national budget and what people could do to protect it from corruption and wastage.
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In the National – Not Personal Interest |
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Wednesday, 02 February 2011 |
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‘Basic fair play, decency, good manners and right conduct.’ These words appeared in a well-argued column yesterday by William M. Esposo, the self-styled Chair-wrecker from the Philippine Star.
His subject was last Thursday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing on the highly-controversial Carlos Garcia plea bargain deal --and he focused in particular on the conduct of certain people there. Esposo suggested the performance of some senators was motivated more by personal animosities and rivalries than professional interest. He went on: “Senators should not forget that they are public servants and have no business acting like public bullies. Indeed, a Senate hearing neither guarantees the veracity of all revelations nor allows due process.”
Coincidentally enough, the column appeared the same day newspapers and websites carried the reported guilty plea of Ilocos Sur Representative Ronald Singson to charges of drug trafficking in Hong Kong.
In his plea, Singson maintains the drugs were strictly for his personal use. According to news reports, the plea details how he went on a cocaine binge after losing money as the concert promoter for a visiting US rap star. It seems he went onto lose a lot more money at a Manila hotel casino the same night while again on drugs. He stayed up for a few nights gambling before deciding to fly to Macau via Hong Kong to attend a poker tournament. He was subsequently stopped and arrested after police reportedly found drugs on him at the Hong Kong Airport.
All of this while he is the newly re-elected representative of Ilocos Sur, now in his second term.
Lawmakers have renewed calls for him to resign after he registered his guilty plea and the House of Representatives is said to be keen to get a copy of the Hong Kong court ruling to study it and decide on any course of action.
While merely reporting the facts of this sad case and the effect it will presumably have on his career, it is also surely fair to note and argue that politicians are elected to be public servants and to represent and act in the best interests of the people. Given the country’s huge challenges in terms of corruption and building a stronger culture of public service, it is incumbent that all lawmakers pursue national and not their private interests. Politicians must lead by example and be inspirational if transformational change is to happen.
Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project |
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