The Law of the Ruling Elites
Eight years ago, a 21-year-old sales clerk was arrested for taking a can of corned beef because of his gnawing hunger, a vivid example that the law applies even to minor and petty thefts. What if I tell you some people steal trillions yet are not held accountable? They embezzle money not from a supermarket but from the taxpayers’ money, from the budget allocated to projects that should be for the betterment of the community, yet siphoned by the insatiable greed of the mastermind who holds the state funds. Will the system ever change? Will the same cycle continue where the elites remain the only winners while ordinary Filipinos struggle just to even the odds?
A public uproar ensued when the issue of Discaya’s alleged corruption in flood control projects surfaced, and it became a national topic that put the DPWH under public scrutiny and jeopardy. In a recent hearing, a total of 84.7% of the project’s infrastructure was recorded as accomplished, even though work had only recently started—apparently a ghost project. Some dikes are reportedly finished, yet they are labeled as of poor quality and not functional, whereas most of them do not even exist. Suddenly, due process takes the stage, with a full and proper investigation conducted—quite the opposite of what marginalized people experience, where the law offers no mercy and punishment comes swiftly.
Just like what happened in a past Senate hearing, the hall became a mere stage for entertainment and echoes of “I can’t remember.” It paved the way for the lawmakers to subtly deliver their political stance, ask soundbites question to increase media exposure, and make the questions more emotionally compelling rather than clever ones, which lack substance and sense. Some try to save their image. Senator Jinggoy Estrada—who holds a family name that has long been associated with graft and corruption—asks whether there are senators involved in the corruption. Which was ridiculed by Senator Marcoleta, a humor but also a reminder that corruption is no longer strange in the hall. Meanwhile, the accused used the usual rebuttals, disproving the accusations, pointing fingers to clear their hands, and making numerous denials.
Think of this: DPWH is not the only government organization in the Philippines. It is not hard to think that practices similar to what happened in DPWH are also prevalent in other departments. It is just the tip of the iceberg, a pest that continues to grow because people let it; they manipulate the system to defy the gravity of law.
Remember, the investigation of the anomalies of the flood control projects only commences because public demand plays such a huge role. Imagine if the people remain silent and turn a blind eye, would the law and the government find a way to condemn and punish those who are behind it? So then, if this issue did not create noise, will there be a trial for the people who can make the system forget?










