Accountability applies to all public servants

COMMONSENSE

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

As provided in our country's 1987 Constitution, anyone who holds office in government, whether elected or appointed, is accountable for all his acts. This is explicitly specified under Article XI on "Accountability of Public Officers." In Section 1 of this provision, it states outright: Public Office is a public trust.

It goes on to provide: "Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives."

Thus, this constitutional provision of Article XI was officially adopted as the battle cry of the newly launched anti-corruption group called "Artikulo Onse." Convenors of Artikulo Onse precisely timed their launching program last Monday to coincide with the nation's observance of National Heroes Day. The convenors – led by ex-congressman Erin Tañada, former Sanlakas party-list rep now private law practitioner JV Bautista, labor leaders Luke Espiritu and Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman – declared their "Citizens War Against Corruption."

In our Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum last Wednesday, Bautista and Ka Leody announced the advocacy of Artikulo Onse takes off from the on-going national brouhaha over "ghost" flood control projects.

"We chose this because this is exactly what 'public office is a public trust' means, tigilan na ang onsehan sa ating taong-bayan," Ka Leody declared.

Since we are guided by our country's Constitution, the Filipino people can demand accountability from all our public servants.

"Onsehan" is a Filipino slang derived from the Tagalized Spanish word for eleven (onse), which means to cheat or double-cross, or to scam another person, or betray each other for their selfish gain.