You think that the new Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) members are going to mess with your head—you’re not entirely wrong.
Recently, the new members of the BRC have been selected, with Senators Pia Cayetano serving as chairperson and Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada as vice chairpersons. The members are Senators Bong Go, Robin Padilla, Mark Villar, Camille Villar, Chiz Escudero, and Imee Marcos.
Their “perfect” timing couldn’t be worse—actually, it's impressive. Given the current issues in Philippine politics, I wouldn’t count on divine intervention. From Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case to the now unspoken flood control scandal, the lineup arrives at a time when public trust is already wearing thin.
The main purpose of the BRC is to investigate government anomalies in cases involving allegations of corruption, abuse of power, or misconduct in office. They serve as the public watchdog, but surrounded by longstanding political controversies, how are we sure that they won’t turn the BRC into some sort of theater?
Let’s take, for example, Sen. Padilla: a convicted felon who illegally possessed firearms in the 1990s and served 4 years in prison. He received an absolute pardon only decades later from former President Rodrigo Duterte, restoring his political rights, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2016. At the same time, many argued that he has “changed.” For critics, his presence on the committee complicates the image of the BRC as a moral watchdog.
Padilla is not the only committee member tied to serious controversy—he has someone to relate to: Sen. Imee Marcos. The U.S. federal court in Honolulu, Hawaii, found her civilly liable for the wrongful death and torture of a 21-year-old student activist—Archimedes Trajano—back in 1977. It was rooted in Imee’s open forum, where Trajano publicly questioned her qualifications for being appointed national head of the Kabataang Barangay. Trajano’s mangled body was found days later in Manila. Unlike Sen. Padilla, she has not received a pardon, as it was applicable in her situation. What made it worse was that the Philippine Supreme Court nullified the collection efforts in 2006, lessening the need to clear her name, according to Rappler, 2018. With her in the BRC, what morals are in play if the player refuses to show compassion?
Let’s not forget the star of the show: Sen. Pia Cayetano—the ever-so queen bee of the BRC. What makes her leadership ironic is not because she was hit with a complaint of plagiarism or because she faced criticism for sponsoring the taxation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators; it’s ironic because she leads a committee meant to demand accountability from other institutions when the institution she represents continues to face controversies and struggles as we speak.
We Filipinos aren’t born into this system to just blindly believe in the political institution; we are born to question the credibility of the system. This isn’t just some Regina George rendition; this is a high-stakes committee wherein you critically analyze and investigate patterns of corruption that are happening in the nation, Pia. Don’t expect us to let your bare minimum actions slide just because you “just started." You have been in politics for 22 consecutive years. In the first decade, you should have mastered the art of leading, not ignoring and toying with the systems.
While Senators Padilla, Marcos, and Cayetano are not the only ones who have controversies and scandals, they are among the most prominent ones. We are not ridiculing them just because it’s funny; we are criticizing them because we need a fully functioning system in which we can believe. In a country so full of hope, we are unfortunately one of the most corrupt nations when we look at the Corruption Perceptions Index. The BRC lineup is more than just another political issue; it is proof that credibility has become optional in institutions that were once meant to defend it.
But until then, don’t worry; senators will make you worry.
