‘This may yet explain why Escudero has probably developed an allergy to making public officials accountable for misuse of government funds.’
THE country knows by now that Senate President Chiz Escudero has accepted a financial donation of P30 million from a government contractor, which, according to Comelec Chairman George Garcia in a recent ANC interview, will be subjected to an “internal investigation” to determine whether Escudero has violated the Omnibus Election Code.
Garcia also explained that Section 95 of the Code only pertains to “prohibited contributions” from juridical or entities and not to any wrongdoing of recipients of poll donations.
Centerways Construction, with Lawrence Lubiano as president, was Escudero’s top campaign donor in the 2022 elections. The firm has reportedly bagged P5.16 billion in flood control projects. Its donation of P30 million is 20% of the total cash contributions to Escudero’s campaign funds of P150 million.
After the 2022 elections, when Escudero won as a comebacking Senator, DPWH records also showed that the flood control projects obtained by Centerways Construction rose to P5.16 billion. From five contracts in 2021, the company’s government contracts rose to 44 contracts in 2022. Is this related to the alleged budget insertions of Escudero in the 2025 national budget that, according to Vera Files, P9 billion had gone to Sorsogon with no proper accounting on how the money was spent?
This may explain why Escudero has developed what seems to be an aversion to holding public officials accountable for the misuse of government funds. He also created a side show with the infamous but dramatic line, “Are you for accountability, or do you just hate Sara Duterte?”
***
The Ombudsman was created to protect citizens from corruption and abuse of power. Yet, for many of us, it seems the institution isn’t fulfilling its vital constitutional duty. Filing a complaint should be straightforward, but for too many, the process has become unnecessarily complicated. Many ordinary citizens, teachers, jeepney drivers, or farmers have been left wondering how they could report any wrongdoing in government.
A body meant to protect the public should not create barriers to justice. The office of the Ombudsman must simplify the filing process, ensuring that anyone can be provided with the assistance he or she is seeking easily and without hesitation. However, the challenge doesn’t end with just filing a complaint. Numerous citizens have been quite frustrated over the disturbing lack of progress after submitting their complaints.
No updates, no docket numbers, and no resolutions are issued despite frequent follow-ups. This has led to the troubling perception that cases, including those carrying merit and are unquestionably valid, may have been quietly archived due to a lucrative behind-the-scenes deal. The public has often wondered how much money was involved to “settle” a particular issue, and such deliberate inaction and prolonged delay have only eroded trust in the system.
Equally crucial is the Ombudsman’s need for independence. There are persistent speculations that political allies of the Malacanang tenant charged with criminal and administrative offenses have been favored by the Ombudsman. The office must be free from any political pressure or outside interference. Only then can it truly uphold its responsibility to the people, embracing and enforcing honesty, fairness, integrity and holding erring public officials accountable at all times. For the Ombudsman to effectively serve its purpose, it must operate without fear and favor.
Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales was a prime example of dedication, fearlessness and competence who would tell her friends and the media that she “would take death threats for breakfast.” The highly defiant mantra was made prominent then by Immigration Commissioner Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Morales never wavered in the face of what seemed to be overwhelming pressure from prominent public officials and top military officers alike.
To restore the people’s faith, the Ombudsman must embrace real and genuine reform. Simplifying the filing process, ensuring very prompt action on complaints and maintaining independence are vital steps in maintaining its role as defender of whistleblowers to faithfully and courageously ensure the accountability of all public officials.
It is hoped that the current OIC Ombudsman, former Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo, would be in the same mold as the truly incorruptible Morales.
