P680-M Iloilo flyover project’s three monkeys

By Alex P. Vidal

“The corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst.” —David Hume

FOR sure, there are retired and active politicians who are now jittery after it was reported over the weekend that the House of Representatives might finally tackle next month the proposed House Resolution No. 721 seeking a legislative inquiry on the much-scandalized P680-million Iloilo flyover project or Ungka flyover (UFO) and the delayed construction of the P560-million Aganan flyover also in Pavia, Iloilo.

These nervous politicians—retired and active—are aware that sooner or later, they will be unmasked and subjected to intense scrutiny and inquisition once the formal congressional investigation starts.

It’s a common knowledge that the DPWH “isn’t the lone culprit” in this imbroglio.

Somewhere and sometime during the conceptualization of this multi-million infra project that has now become the symbol of shame and scandal of the Ilonggos, there were politicians—now retired and active—who were involved.

The same politicians must have enjoyed the halcyon years enriching themselves at the expense of the taxpayers through several infrastructure projects in the past.

It was only probably in the P680-million Iloilo flyover project that their luck came to a screeching halt (read: nabuking) after the flyover was monitored to be “sinking” just when it was about to be presented to the public.

A sign of the natural law of retribution or karmic justice?

-o0o-

The project’s genesis will be traced from the sources of funds to the actual implementation.

There must be bigger players in this gargantuan infrastructure project, and these big players must have hit “big”—even bigger than what some Ilonggos have imagined.

Since the scandal of epic proportion erupted in September 2022 when the flyover was suddenly ordered closed days after it was opened to public, these retired and active politicians, who may have waltzed with corrupt DPWH bigwigs and private contractors, have pretended they heard and saw nothing about the burning issue.

No statement of concern; no reaction; no condemnation; no nothing.

Strange. The silence is deafening—and irritating.

All of a sudden, they became the three famous monkeys—the ones who heard no evil, saw no evil, and spoke no evil.

-o0o-

HEAT IN HISTORY. The biggest playoffs win in Miami Heat history, by point differential, is by 37 points which occurred in a 115-78 win over the Chicago Bulls during the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 8, 2013. Based on point differential, the largest win in Miami Heat history is by 43 points, which occurred in a 126-83 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec 29, 1994.

BILLIONAIRES. Thirty-one billionaires in the world are worth more than the $38.8 billion the US Treasury has in cash. To be clear, each of them is worth more than that alone, according to a CNN report.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Dozens of industry leaders and academics in the field of artificial intelligence have called for greater global attention to the possible threat of “extinction from AI.” A statement, signed by leading industry officials like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Geoffrey Hinton—the so-called “godfather” of artificial intelligence—highlights wide-ranging concerns about the ultimate danger of unchecked AI. Experts say humanity is still a ways off from the prospect of science-fiction-like AI overlords, but the flood of hype and investment into the AI industry has led to calls for regulation now before any major mishaps occur. The growing AI arms race has already generated more immediate concerns. Lawmakers, advocacy groups and tech insiders have raised alarms about the potential for AI-powered language models like ChatGPT to spread misinformation and displace jobs.

Every June, the United States celebrates Pride Month, marking the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, when police raided a gay bar in New York City and its patrons stood up against discrimination, abuse, and mistreatment. US Department of State Secretary Anthony J. Blinken said in a statement, “Pride reminds us of the spirit of democratic protest and the principle that all persons are created equal and every individual’s full humanity should be equally respected.”

He added: “Five decades after Stonewall, we know that inclusion of and respect for LGBTQI+ persons make our nation stronger. We also recognize the impact LGBTQI+ persons and organizations have had on some of the cornerstones of our democracy, including in pursuing truth through a free media and exercising the right to peacefully assemble.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)