The military establishment is now under fire for charges of corruption. The House and the Senate, in separate hearings, have uncovered shades of corruption where government funds numbering in the millions could not be accounted for. There is no end in the number of cases being discovered by the government and Congress relating to graft and corruption committed by former government and military officials of the Philippines. This is shameful.
While the country is wracked by bus bombings, carjacking cases, carnapping and kidnapping cases, killings, crime wave that will not dissipate, higher food prices, higher toll fees, etc. here comes the revelations of missing funds intended for reimbursing costs of field operations of Philippine soldiers.
What's next? Hopefully, there will be no threat of coup or de-estabilization drive against the government of Aquino to prevent him from pursuing the guilty parties in this new corruption scandals in the military. A retired bishop has mentioned that there are two groups salivating to grab power in the country today. If the bishop is serious in saving the country from undue chaos, he should come out and name names. Otherwise, he should avoid further comments relating to the stability of the country.
Evidently, the accused will fight back in order to protect his reputation. The accusations of graft and corruption was done in a Congressional hearing, not in the court of law. More often than not, this is right now a trial in publicity, as no formal charges have not been filed by government prosecutors through the Department of Justice or the Ombudsman.
This is the unfolding drama in the country today. Indeed, it will be a waste of time and money if nothing comes out of it, just like past hearings and accusations which, even with the presence of whistleblowers, did not send any big fish to jail.
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