Tingog.com

For the last few weeks, The Spratlys Issue has been the top story. The Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking for which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is accused of signing of on is no less the basis for even more investigations on the “deals” and “agreements” with China and The Arroyo Administration itself. The President, because she has signed off on these agreements can be held accountable for treason. Never mind impeachment, this is a criminal act.

This is where we again have to go back to what I feel was probably the biggest story coming out of last year, and that was the Pardon of Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada. With one fell swoop, President Arroyo basically struck down justice against corruption.

Corruption is going to be what keeps The Philippines from prospering, and it is the corruption of top officials that need the most prosecution, if only to be an example to all the rest of The Philippine Government Officials out there.

If even our “hero”, Jun Lozada is probably guilty himself of corruption, as well as Former Speaker of The House Jose De Venecia who himself said that he has sinned, then who else is left in government that is free from corruption?

If Jose De Venecia in his privileged speech in Congress while he was in the process of being ousted, stated the fact that all have sinned, then why the hell aren’t these people being charged? They themselves have admitted wrongdoing, what more for those who haven’t admitted their guilt?

Doesn’t it bother anyone else, that these men go around free to do what they please, and that they no longer fear corruption charges because it seems everyone these days, in the end, will not face the justice they deserve.

The Pardon has set back the fight against corruption so much so, that President Gloria Arroyo, if she just sticks to her guns, keeps her political connections, and keeps the money flowing, she too can get away from the blind justice we see in The Philippines.

From Garci, to The Fertilizer fund, to NBN, and now the Spratlys, it has no end, because the culprits need not worry of prosecution. And in the end, that is what this is all about.

No longer is impeachment the worthy goal but it is locking up the guilty and finally throwing away the key that should be the end we seek. The Pardon of Erap, I reiterate, is going to be a big hurdle in the fight against corruption. And The Spratlys Issue may not be the key that will finally lock up the criminal in our midst.