For old-timers in Philippine politics, the recent unveiling of the billions in pesos worth of flood-control projects allegedly pocketed by unscrupulous government officials and contractors sounded eerily familiar.
Not just familiar, but many believe the fiasco regarding flood-control projects sounded like a deja vu of the Napoles scandal way back in the 2010's.
Like Janet Napoles, who made millions in creating fake foundations taking advantage of the so-called "pork barrel" distributed by lawmakers, billionaire contractor Sarah Discaya now serves as the perfect symbol of the gargantuan greed and duplicity that has marred efforts to resolve the decades-long problem of flooding in Metro Manila.
Public anger, especially on social media, has been directed at Discaya and the other contractors who had not only raked in millions in (largely useless) flood-control projects, but had also shamelessly flaunted their wealth in an attempt to portray their stories as an inspirational "rags-to-riches" tale.
And this, unfortunately, is where public rage can be misdirected.
Not that Discaya, like Napoles, is blameless, but the fear of some concerned sectors is that she and other private contractors can end up pilloried while their co-conspirators in government circles go scot-free.
The Napoles scandal should serve as a cautionary tale of how public anger, when conveniently pointed towards a "scapegoat," can only end in widespread corruption becoming even more entrenched.
This time, let us not let the flames of indignation die - and this time, let us also ensure that everyone who has been proven to be part of this wholesale robbery of public coffers be held accountable for their actions.
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