THE “list” of more government officials (who are allegedly part of the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam) has created even more questions, confusion and doubt in the minds of the Filipino people seeking the truth and justice.
This controversial list was exposed by former Senator Panfilo Lacson, the anointed Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery for areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda by President Noynoy Aquino.
According to the rehab czar, the list was divulged by Napoles and star witness Benhur Luy. Lacson issued a caveat saying he was just a messenger, and it would be up to the government to investigate the veracity of the information.
Lately, more names of people who allegedly benefited from the pork barrel scam have also been revealed.
This time, those in the spotlight are known broadcast news personalities.
The accounting entries in the files of principal whistle-blower Benhur Luy showed that these prominent media personalities also received cash gifts from alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles.
As the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported, the monies were allegedly taken from the bank accounts of Napoles’ fake nongovernment organizations (NGOs), which are purportedly involved in the scam.
The names of these radio and television personalities appeared in the disbursement files of Luy, including the amounts they supposedly received from 2004 to 2008.
While it cannot be denied that there are indeed a lot of people in government and media who may have traded their souls to amass wealth and win favors, it is hard for me to come to terms with how good and decent people can become embroiled in illegal affairs at a snap of a finger.
Some of these implicated in the scam are good friends of mine and people of integrity.
In the news broadcasting industry, integrity and credibility are all that we have. If we lose these in the eyes of the public, we lose the privilege of doing our job because nobody will believe us anymore.
I am not saying these colleagues of mine are immune to any investigation, nor am I implying that they are all innocent of any transgression.
It just baffles me how anybody can just implicate names and have those names publicized without going through deposition — the process of giving sworn evidence.
What if the accuser is not really motivated by the quest for truth and justice? What if the one making allegations is driven by the desire to destroy an opponent in politics? What if revenge is the driving force behind the accusations?
Of course, this is the price one has to pay for being a government official or public figure, especially those in the broadcast news industry.
We are subject to higher standards for the privilege accorded to us to serve the public.
Certainly, if we are not guilty of any wrongdoing, and assuming that the legal system treats our cases fairly, our names will be cleared and we will be vindicated.
But then, government officials and broadcast news personalities are also human. We also get hurt when falsely accused. We agonize over doubt maliciously planted in the minds of the public to destroy us.
In the end, we all seek the truth. The public deserves nothing less.
* * *
Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
