Ending corruption once & for all

There is a current debate on whether the existence of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) should continue or be abolished.

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The Ombudsman Remulla has said that perhaps we should consider the abolition of the ICI next year and allow the Office of the Ombudsman to take over its functions. Until this date, the government and even well-meaning NGOs are approaching this whole flood control scandal on a case-by-case method or a piecemeal basis. This means that the criminals involved are being investigated separately and as individuals.

This is, of course, necessary in order to legally prosecute and possibly jail those who are involved. This flood control corruption scandal is beginning to look like just part of a systemic and perhaps cultural defect in the whole government system. I cannot help but wonder why politicians who were once convicted of graft and malversation were allowed to go free after the conviction and now are being accused again of the very same crimes.

The most scandalous part is that some of these politicians were even reelected. Initial reports on this graft and corruption show that the multibillion (or is it trillion?)-peso corrupt practices are not limited to flood control or even DPWH projects. There are now reports that the same corrupt practices have been prevalent in such projects as farm-to-market roads, construction of school buildings, health projects and even the film cultural building being constructed in Intramuros under the direct sponsorship of the First Lady.