In 1970, the movie Apollo 13, starring, among others, Tom Hanks, popularized the phrase – Houston, we have a problem. The mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States government suffered a significant emergency, which threatened the lives of its three astronauts. One of its oxygen tanks exploded, 56 hours into the mission. NASA specialists found a solution and instructed the flight crew, particularly on how to produce oxygen for breathing. They came back to earth safely.
We can say the exact phrase about the unfolding drama in our political sphere: Philippines, we have a problem. It is a huge one that can cripple an administration.
In the beginning, when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. challenged Congressmen and women and our Senators with the words "Mahiya naman kayo," it seemed corruption occurred only in isolated cases. This description is how former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan called them. Of course, as I have stated here, he was dead wrong. It has become a corruption problem involving over a trillion pesos. To remind everyone, a trillion pesos consists of one thousand billion pesos.
The Independent Commission on Infrastructure has rarely mentioned Eastern Visayas as having ghost projects. But in a nationally broadcast program, host Ted Failon asked Sec. Vince Dizon when the ICI will inspect projects in Leyte. He said that an investigation team will visit Leyte soon.
Also, it was noticeable that at least two boxes of documents delivered last week to the ICI by the PNP were from Eastern Visayas.
I have learned that these boxes contain documents for two projects in Southern Leyte.
We have also received information about ghost projects in Eastern Samar.
With this information, we can expect ICI personnel to review these projects in the days ahead. We will have news on this as soon as it becomes available.
Going back to the Apollo 13 phrase, we note that the past few weeks have been replete with exposes and bombshells. The corruption problem has blown to unprecedented proportions.
The videos of former Congressman Zaldy Co and the reactions of President Marcos Jr. and Cabinet members as they trade charges are so astounding that it will keep you enthralled and unbelieving that it is happening or has happened.
I thought such drama belonged only to the movies. This one is real and still unfolding.
The sad thing is, we might never know the whole truth. Former Congressman Co looks like he will stay abroad for life, as a natural reaction of a person who fears for his life. I don't know whether the administration really wants him to come back because of the debilitating nature of his accusations. Persons who saw the acts referred to by former Congressman Co can corroborate these. He might also have videos and documents to support his claims, as his lawyer reported in interviews.
Given these developments, the problem will not end soon. It is only beginning.
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