The face of the enemy

“HONESTLY, I have identified the enemy who dumped us into this quagmire we are in. I have met the enemy face-to-face and sadly, the enemy is “us.” We are our own tormentors --- addressing the Filipino people --- we are our own demons; we are as rapacious predators preying on the helpless, the weak and the voiceless.” - Pres. Rodrigo Duterta, 4th State of the Nation Address. Yesterday’s SONA of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte leaned heavily on the widespread corruption in government, saying that he has booted out of office hundreds of his own appointees or caused officials to resign, without favor and even if they were his close friends. He expressed disdain on the greed of those holding office, citing the recent PhilHealth controversy where officials were said to have pocketed millions which could have helped thousands of poor Filipinos seeking medical assistance. He acknowledged the deeply rooted corruption in government saying, “we are our own demons; we are as rapacious predators preying on the helpless, the weak and the voiceless.” Corruption has become so insidious in government that “every malefactor watching his cohort’s back in blatant disregard of his oath when he assumed public office.” This, he said, has become a defacto culture for government offices, or even in some Government Owned and Controlled Corp., coated with euphemisms, used to sweeten “betrayal of public trust or any other criminal offense.” Promising to rid the country of corruption when he came into power, four years into his term, he has realized how embedded corruption is in government. “For every transaction, a commission; for every action, extortion; and a request that goes on and on – endlessly and shamelessly.” His solution? “Catharsis is what we, individually and collectively, need to do today – not tomorrow but today. Self-purgation followed by the resolve to do what is right and proper, is good for the nation’s health” He called on the Filipino people to be free to investigate even the executive department. And to those who will experience any form of corruption, his words are: “You do not have to call me. Call the idiots, expose them, and send them to jail.”