The insistence of DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to stay structurally epoxy-bonded to his office despite glaring massive failures in incorruptibility and management is an incredible shamelessness. Indeed, there has never been as blatant, obvious impunity to engage in corruption, to the extent of doing ghost projects that we’ve seen in recent history.

He could, under the circumstances, be considered the godfather of corruption, incompetence, and callousness in the entire bureaucracy. One who insists on staying in office, portraying himself as innocent, proclaiming that he “will clean the house.”

He must assume we are all idiots who don’t understand that in the government bureaucracy, civilian or uniformed, there is such a thing as command responsibility. That whatever is going on in your turf, good or bad, is directly or indirectly related or attributed to the chief which in the public works department is Secretary Bonoan.

Anyway, whatever may be the reason or none at all, the power and authority rest with the Office of the President who has the final say as far as the executive branch is concerned and where one, perhaps, a Corleone-clone is intact in his seat. With “mahiya naman kayo” spoken with will and commitment to correct what’s wrong his days may be numbered.

Torre may be the first and we won’t be wrong to predict Bonoan would be the next, and so many others. Of course, my assumption is that the President is in no joking mood. Corruption and incompetence are serious national security risks that endanger the ability of the nation and its people to achieve economic progress and peace for all.

We are fortunate that the mid-year elections produced Senator Rodante Marcoleta. We have a reliable official who will deliver us from the evil manifested in the manner of sinister forces at the Batasan that transform truth into falsehood. Marcoleta will proceed as expected to bring out the real thing in the public works fiasco and certainly conclude with justice being served in the end. The others, including Senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa, no doubt, will perform accordingly as their oath demands.

I am so pleased the efforts and risky initiative of Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong of the Mayors 4 Good Governance to expose DPWH anomalies is now the main meal of the exploited mass of our people.