Former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson has never been one to mince words. In today's solo press conference at the historic Club Filipino, he made it clear that the rot in government goes all the way to the top.
Calling the Marcos administration “bulok” (rotten), Singson admitted what many Filipinos now whisper: “Nabudol tayo.” We were fooled into believing in a new era of competence and unity, but what we got instead was a government drowning in scandal, paralyzed by corruption, and bereft of moral authority.
When a president’s words no longer inspire trust, governance collapses. Marcos Jr. publicly opposed the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, yet his own son, Congressman Sandro Marcos, was the first to sign the impeachment petition. How can a president claim to be fighting corruption while tolerating record levels of it under his watch?
THE CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Singson’s demand is bold but necessary: all corrupt officials must resign, including the President himself if he cannot lead by example. He urged a peaceful revolution led by the youth to reclaim their future, warning that “there is no hope under the present system and administration.”
He even dared the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to start its investigation with the flood control projects in Ilocos Norte, where he alleged that favored contractors include the Mayor of Laoag and the notorious Discaya group.
A MOMENT FOR THE YOUTH
Singson’s call should not be dismissed as political noise. It is a wake-up call. When corruption becomes the system, silence is complicity. The youth who will inherit the broken institutions we allow to stand must decide whether to watch passively or demand real change.
The question is no longer whether we have been fooled. The question is whether we will continue to accept it.