Clearing operations and cover-ups

Given the seemingly successful “National Road Clearing Operations” that was initiated by President Duterte and implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government or DILG, now may be the right time to develop a similar template for “National COVID Clearing Operations” where all provincial and local government officials, specifically mayors and barangay captains, will be tasked to clear COVID cases in their areas the same way they were tasked to clear all roads of obstructions and illegally parked vehicles. Instead of vehicles and obstructions, the LGUs will be required to strictly enforce the general health protocols and subsequently be tasked to control community transmissions and then reduce cases from week to week and month to month.

Such an order makes perfect sense given the fact that many local government officials who’ve given interviews have been honest enough to admit that one of the reasons for the increased number of COVID cases is due to “COVID fatigue” where many citizens ignored health protocols and IATF prohibitions concerning gatherings, parties as well as drinking sessions. 4,700 to 5,000 new COVID cases is the second reason why Malacañang and the DILG now need to put the pressure on LGUs as well as penalties if they fail to achieve the goals of the “National COVID Clearing Operations” program. If the DILG and the MMDA can send “show cause orders” to local officials who can’t clear roads, then all the more that the national authorities should warn or penalize mayors and barangay captains for failing to protect the health of their constituents.

We assumed that if a third wave took place, the national government would automatically fall back on clearing operations for COVID, but after some thought I realized that one reason why such a nationwide task and accountability program with penalties won’t easily fly is because national leaders or politicians in “Imperial Manila” are already on campaign mode or are being diplomatic not to ruffle feathers of LGU officials and leaders on the ground who might campaign against them or dump them in the upcoming elections.

Just when the COVID cases started to spike, President Duterte was busy shooting thought- and tongue-provoking statements to the public with teasers that Senator Bong Go wants to become the next president. DU30 reportedly mentioned this on two different occasions, which tells us where the hearts of national leaders are, not in public health but politics. Add to that the shameless suggestion of politicians for Duterte to run as vice president! I don’t know what’s worse – that people will disregard the true spirit and tradition imbedded in our Constitution concerning term limits for presidents or that we have legislators and politicians who throw principles and dignity to the wind just to show how low they will go to find favor with President Duterte.

Worst of all is the implied notion that if Duterte becomes vice president the elected president, be it a Bong Go or Sara Duterte, will resign or can be forced to resign so that Duterte can be president for another six years! But what if it’s Leni Robredo or someone from the opposition? Do we presume that “that” president will be dispensed with or disposed of by some Death Squad or fanatical uniformed personnel? Some people may dismiss the idea of a Duterte for vice president as nothing more than a publicity stunt to distract Filipinos from the poor and slow delivery of vaccines relative to our “Excellent” state of COVID-19 case mis-management resulting in an all time high. Dismiss it if you wish but I personally am fed up with political halflings and minions who think nothing of consequences to our political stability and economic recovery just so they can suck up or stay in power. Filipinos should start speaking out against suck-ups trying to cover up our national public health disaster; not COVID-19 but the disastrous manner in which it has been managed and controlled by those unfit to do so!

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Speaking of lack of transparency, the Philippine National Police should start making efforts at transparency, particularly in the two recent incidents where police units ended up shooting innocent civilians or killing fellow police officers, including the “Bloody Sunday” massacre of nine political activists, instead of wasting people’s time and patience announcing how the PNP will accost couples guilty of Public Display of Affection or PDA. Several days have passed and most of the public are not even clear on the 4 W’s and one H or Who/What/Why/When and How behind these three bloody incidents. Had it not been for the multiple video materials shared on social media, chances are the public would still be in the dark regarding the liquidation of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino. As it stands, the cops are painting a picture where a “shoot out” took place, with claims that the mayor’s group shot first. Why on earth would a city mayor shoot first or shoot it out with the police unless the cops were in an unmarked tinted vehicle and shot at the mayor while overtaking his vehicle (as told to us by Congressman Edgar Sarmiento)? If this was a shoot out why were the killers of the mayor coming from two different directions on board two different vehicles?

The killing of nine activists coupled with the death of law enforcement officers in the mall shootout in Quezon City dubbed as a mis-encounter and the death of a mayor and several PNP personnel and a captain cannot be erased or covered up with the terms mis-encounter or shoot out. The blood of many men is on the ground and it cries out for the truth to be told and not to be covered up!

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