‘Too many cooks…’

“Unfortunately, this new development is not taken seriously by many Marawi victims, principally because of the sprouting of other special committees in other legislative bodies on the same issue.

Another special committee for the rehabilitation of Marawi? What the heck!

Those were the words that verbalized my impulsive feeling when I heard the news that the Senate has created the special committee that will look into the status and hurdles surrounding the project, especially the culprit for the snail-paced construction.

Many victims of the Marawi war like me have developed in time nonchalance every time the issue crops up. Our minds alternate from cynicism to being numbed and from hopelessness to desolation. But we coast along with everyday life, though pessimistic, that nothing will come out of the inquiry.

Cynics in fact raised an eyebrow given the rate of success and output of past congressional investigations. They claim it is a subtle clever ploy “in aid of election not legislation.” It is all posturing for media mileage that will affect name recall, a marketing strategy that catapults or perpetuates a politician to power.

According to the sponsor of the resolution creating the committee, Sen. Miguel Zubiri, there was a need to revive the committee “following reports on the slow utilization and realignment of the rehabilitation funds to other use… to sponsor hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) expenses… and the slow progress in rehabilitation.” Big words, indeed.

Recall that a similar committee with a substantially identical mandate was created in the last 17th Congress, but became functus oficio with the expiration of the term of the Congress. If my memory serves me right, there was one and last hearing conducted where I was invited as a resource person. One of the commendable outputs of the said hearing was the filing of a compensation bill by former Sen. Bam Aquino for Marawi victims. The bill must be refiled in the present congress if they really care for the victims.

Unfortunately, this new development is not taken seriously by many Marawi victims, principally because of the sprouting of other special committees in other legislative bodies on the same issue.

This fact drew several reactions, mostly negative and ludicrous, when it was posted by lawyer Mino Macalandap, president of the local Integrated Bar of the Philippines, a popular social media activist who commands a great number of followers on his Facebook account. He mentioned another sub-committee in the House of Representatives, a committee in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Regional Parliament and just another one by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Lanao del Sur, all with identical purposes, i.e., investigate the Marawi rehabilitation. With tongue in cheek, Macalandap commented “kulang na lang (what is lacking is) Barangay Special Committee on Marawi Rehab.” In fact, it has become the butt of jokes among concerned Maranaw professionals.

Just very recently, Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez of Leyte, to the great discomfiture (insult?) of the solons representing Lanao del Sur, delivered a privilege speech demanding a full accounting of funds poured in for the rehabilitation of Marawi City and the victims of the war. To which we say touché and thanks. This will trigger another investigation by the Blue Ribbon Committee of the House of Representatives.

The creation of these committees is on top of the deliberation on the General Appropriation Act where the issue could be discussed when the budget of the concerned agencies of government in charge of the rehabilitation like the Task Force Bangon Marawi is deliberated.

There’re just too many committees that will conduct the inquiry. And as we say, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” What if these different investigating bodies come out with diametrically-opposed findings and recommendations? Who will referee them? Which one is legally binding and should be followed?

Don’t get me wrong. This is not to prejudge the validity, relevance and raison d’etre of these committees. That’s farthest from our mind. We will support any move, policy or anything that will hasten the rehab of the city and assuage the pain of loss felt by the victims who are still languishing in temporary shelters or at the inconvenience of a relative’s house. But it must be placed in a proper perspective and well-coordinated move among agencies of government, not a wild “shotgun” approach that might even jeopardize its laudable intention.

Who knows, this newly-minted Senate special committee headed by neophyte Sen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, may find a solution where others failed or may fail. He fits the role of being a Mindanaoan who can qualify as a stakeholder having been schooled at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City.