FOR the past several months, news about the supposed corruption of a congressional allocation referred to as confidential funds, has been dominating newspaper pages, television airwaves, and social media platforms.
For one, corruption has been a practice since days beyond recall.
In our beloved Philippines, statesmen from the distant past legislated Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which objective was to prevent corruption by not only public officials but also private individuals.
The law, which was approved on August 17, 1960, strictly prohibits pocketing or using government resources for personal gains, accepting gifts, influencing others to commit offenses, and divulging confidential information.
Penalties for violating the law include imprisonment and confiscation of wealth. As a precaution, the law also requires public officers to file a sworn statement of assets and liabilities each year.
Does the law guarantee a graft-free nation? Prominent government personalities behind the most controversial cases of corruption seemed to enjoy what looks more like immunity from criminal liability despite conviction.
In a rundown of the country’s biggest corruption cases, not one of them is behind bars.
Who would forget the biggest pork barrel scam? Renowned individuals, despite conviction for plunder — which by the way is a graver offense than graft and corruption — by no less than the Sandiganbayan somehow got off the hook. Others did not even spend an hour behind bars.
There are many more prominent names on the list of political personalities who to date have remained free – and perhaps enjoying whatever loot they managed to keep.
The latest, as if the list is not enough, members of the so-called super majority at the House of Representatives are asking the Department of Justice to seriously consider filing a plunder case against Vice President Sara Duterte for allegedly squandering hundreds of millions in government funds.
From how it looks, these congressmen are playing clean and are simply after public persecution, lest they have yet to read John 8:7 of the Holy Bible, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.”
