By Artchil B. Fernandez
Here we go again. Public officials breaking rules has become an endless cycle in the Du30 administration. This week, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (again) and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, a staunch Du30 ally and the newly minted head of PDP-Laban, Du30’s party are under fire for violating and breaking health protocols.
Late last week, Roque graced the opening of Bantayan Island airport. The activity is part of Cebu province’s “Suro-suroy” program aimed at reviving the local economy in the time of pandemic. A crowd gathered at the event but did not observe physical distancing, one of the most important health protocols to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Roque said that people need not observe physical distancing as long as they wear masks.
In June, Roque was also under fire for posing with dolphins in Subic. He did this despite the existing quarantine restrictions on travel, social events and mass gatherings.
Pacquiao on the other hand distributed relief goods in Agoncillo town Batangas. Physical distancing was not observed as a huge crowd gathered there as well as in Bacoor, Cavite and in Marikina where similar activities were held by Pacquiao.
If physical distancing is no longer needed when one wears a mask as Roque claims, then why is it the first among the three important health protocols imposed by the government to control the pandemic? The two others are wearing masks and washing of hands.
Blatant disregard of health protocol by Roque and Pacquiao prompted DILG Secretary Eduardo Año to call on his fellow government officials to refrain from gathering crowds through community events. “We call on the public, including government officials, if you have activities and you cannot implement health standards, particularly (physical) distancing, stop it,” he advised them. “Just don’t push through with it because you cannot say sorry that you were not able to control (the transmission of the virus),” he added.
Mass gatherings are banned while the country is under quarantine restrictions to manage the Covid-19 pandemic which has infected 434,537 and killed 8,436 Filipinos (as of this writing). Activists who held protest actions were arrested by authorities for violating the ban on mass gatherings. Top government officials on the other hand like Roque and Pacquiao (on early campaigning) gathered crowds and Du30 turns the other way.
Official like Debold Sinas of the mañanita fame was even rewarded with a promotion to the top police post in the country for breaking health protocols. Sen. Koko Pimentel who also violated health protocols and risked the lives of many health workers was also given a pass with a government official pleading for understanding on his behalf. Yet, San Roque, Quezon City residents who staged protest actions due to hunger during ECQ was threatened with a shoot them dead order. The double standard and fake justice under the Du30 administration are highlighted and glaringly exposed by the pandemic.
There are two kinds of justice prevailing under Du30. One is for his friends, allies and fanatics and the other for the rest of Filipinos.
When top officials of the administration, friends and allies of Du30 break the law, health protocols or any rules, their actions are ignored even justified by Du30. As for the rest of Filipinos, the full force of the law is applied to them when they are accused of violating laws, policies or protocols, whether true or not. Ordinary Filipinos are jailed, some even caged, made to do community work and slapped with fines, even for minor infractions.
It is no longer surprising that officials and allies of Du30 blatantly ignore rules and protocols for they are immune from being made to answer for their violations and misdeeds. In short, they are immunized with the Du30 vaccine which shields them from the long arms of the law or from being held accountable for their terrible misdeeds.
Aside from Covid-19, there is another deadly pandemic ravaging the nation and that is the abuse of power and corruption. The pandemic of abuse of power and corruption had been around for a long time and Du30 promised when he was seeking the presidency to eradicate this pandemic in three to six months. Du30 is now in the twilight of his presidency yet the pandemic of abuse of power and corruption has only worsened.
The main reason why the pandemic of abuse of power and corruption continues to destroy the country is the Du30 vaccine. This vaccine guarantees immunity to those who abuse power and steal government funds from prosecution and facing the full force of the law. The Du30 vaccine shields abusive and corrupt officials of the present administration from being held into account or answer for their wrongdoings.
The Du30 vaccine is Du30’s precious gift to his officials, allies, friends and fanatics. The vaccine allows them to break the law with impunity and rob the national treasury freely by providing them immunity from prosecution.
Injected with the Du30 vaccine, Pacquiao and Roque can confidently gather crowds immune from the fury of Du30’s foul and dirty mouth. An immune Debold Sinas (thanks to the Du30 vaccine) can hold thousands of mañanitas and Du30 will only absolve him a thousand times. Having been vaccinated with the Du30 vaccine, the 12 congressmen accused of corruption by Du30’s own anti-corruption body can continue skimming funds from projects in their districts, protected from being charged in court or even from an investigation.
The Du30 vaccine allows Du30’s officials to be bold, brazen and shameless in abusing their power and flagrantly raid the national coffers. Du30 wailing and bewailing the rampant corruption in his administration and his rage against abusive officials in his weekly night show are cheap acting and pretense. Long-time ago Du30 developed a vaccine that gave his officials immunity from justice and accountability.
