How Extensive Will BBM Probe Fake Flood Works?

GOTCHA

- JARIUS BONDOC

That's Bongbong Marcos' scope in probing flood control scams? From it the public will judge his seriousness for reforms.

Will his independent commission cover only crooked DPWH engineers and contractors? If so, it will only duplicate new Sec. Vince Dizon's filing of criminal raps.

Will the three non-government commissioners look beyond DPWH into systemic failure? That's what various sectors expect.

As a management school dean stated, "Most depressing about the flood control scandal is how our government has so many checks and balances built in that failed us in the process. It's not just the DPWH signing off on ghost projects but the entire system that showed itself to be useless in preventing plunder:

(1) The Commission on Audit was not able to uncover this;

(2) Governors and mayors raised no fuss that year in and year out nothing was being built in their jurisdiction. Nor did their congressmen raise concern of their pork insertions being stolen;

(3) The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board under the Dept. of Trade and Industry saw no anomalies among its many members;

(4) The ombudsman saw no reason to file cases against anyone;

(5) Let's not even count how many graft cases the Sandiganbayan throws out for the flimsiest reasons;

(6) Newer agencies like the Government Procurement Policy Board could've helped fix the flawed bidding, but didn't;

(7) The Philippine Competition Commission hasn't filed a single case against procurement cartels.

"Lahat kayo walang ginawa.