Alan, Pia and Robin — three of a kind

The Filipino public remembers more than gold medals. They remember foreign athletes stranded at airports, accommodation failures, transportation mishaps, procurement questions, and the controversial P50-million cauldron that became the symbol of government extravagance.

Those issues were never fully erased by victory celebrations.

Now that investigators want answers, the response is to question the investigators instead of welcoming the inquiry. That is backwards.

Public office is not a sanctuary from accountability. It is an invitation to it.

The Cayetanos insist the investigation is political. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it is not. But the proper way to prove that is through the evidence—not through press conferences and claims of persecution.

If the siblings truly believe there was nothing irregular, then an investigation should be the fastest way to prove it-–not something to fear.

— Jason Mago

Accountability never dies

The Cayetano siblings are understandably fuming over the timing.

Just as Alan Peter Cayetano has become one of the administration’s most vocal critics, the National Bureau of Investigation revives the highly controversial 2019 Southeast Asian Games controversy. The timing is political. It would be naive to think otherwise.

But politics does not erase accountability.

The SEA Games was hounded by allegations of overpriced meals and uniforms, questionable procurement and, of course, the infamous cauldron. Those questions never received a full stop. The pandemic halted much of the momentum behind the investigation. It did not erase it.

Accountability has no statute of limitations in the court of public trust.

If there is evidence, pursue it. If there isn’t, dismiss it. But don’t tell Filipinos that because years have passed, the questions should disappear too.

Ironically, the best response came from one of Alan’s liver-loving allies, “If you have a case, you should face it.”

Exactly.

That principle should apply not only to political opponents. It should apply to everyone.

Whether you’re with the administration or against it. Whether the timing is suspicious or not.

— Carl Magadia

Robin, the man that you are

Robin Padilla recently claimed he is a communist. Yet is silent when students are red-tagged. Silent when people are killed in military encounters in the mountains. Silent when innocent civilians become casualties of an insurgency.

Robin calls himself a patriot. Yet rebukes Commodore Jay Tarriela for using caricatures of Chinese President Xi Jinping, arguing that disrespecting a foreign leader invites the same treatment—even as the Chinese Embassy repeatedly attacks Filipinos over the West Philippine Sea.

Robin projects himself as a gentleman. Something all men should be. Yet he believes that husbands have “sexual rights” over their wives, even when a wife doesn’t want to have sex.

Robin speaks of accountability. Yet wants to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10, while defending a 64-year-old facing an arrest warrant over allegations tied to the bloody drug war.

Robin is many things. A patriot. A communist. A “maginoo.” An advocate for accountability.

But a man is not defined by what he claims to be. A man is defined by what he does.

Robin is everything—except a man.

— Vivienne Angeles