Will the independent commission summon legislators too?

First of all, how independent and powerful is this presidential commission? Will it summon for investigation the Senate president and House speaker? Will it subpoena former DPWH secretaries Manuel Bonoan and Marc Villar? Or will it only single out the contractors who may just be small fry?

- Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez

The success of this commission will depend on three factors: first, the credibility of personalities appointed to it; second, the soundness of what the commission shall be doing to fulfill its mission; and third, the correctness, fairness, and propriety of the results of its investigation. The people are sick and tired of many zarzuelas. The Philippines is now on the verge of following the path of Indonesia, a nation falling apart due to the corruption of its politicians.

With Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson, Mayor Benjamin Magalong and possibly former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza, I have very high hopes. Bernabe was a Noynoy Aquino appointee who penned some of the landmark decisions. Singson is an expert on the workings of the DPWH and Mendoza is an unquestioned icon on good governance and public accountability, the people can trust this commission. Magalong’s integrity is beyond reproach.

The chaos in Nepal and Indonesia are precursors of the possible turbulence again here. Of course, Indonesia is copying our EDSA People Power revolution. But that’s another story. What matters most today is that the president has done the right thing in creating a supposedly independent commission to diffuse the growing outrage of the people.