The Culture of Impunity is not of the Filipino People--it is the culture of the elites

To fight corruption, Inquirer columnist De Quiros wrote, we must re-introduce our traditional cultural values. He uses the Japanese as an example. They are punishing a college kid for alleging cheating his way to an exam. The fine? US$ 6,000 and three years incarceration.


De Quiros wrote that it's different here in the Philippines--we tolerate those who cheat their way to power and those who steal our monies from the public coffers. Had "Hello Garci" happened in Japan, the Japanese would have howled and hauled the perpetuators to jail.


Well, that was the intention of several Pinoys when they militated against Arroyo at the height of Hello Garci. That was why several soldiers went out of their barracks and stormed a ritzy hotel (?). That's why several people, including this writer, went home to fight the scourge of corruption.


I disagree with De Quiros. He always blame us for having a damaged culture. Unknown to De Quiros, our culture is even BETTER than the Japanese. 


We do not, as a people, tolerate graft and corruption. It is those in power who does that.


The culture of corruption is being practised by the elites of this country, not the ordinary people who continue to remain honest. 


WHO TOLERATED ARROYO BUT THE ELITES IN HER MIDST--THOSE WHO FATTENED THEIR STOMACHS WITH FOOD AND WEALTH THAT WERE ILL-GOTTEN?


WHO TOLERATED THE MERCIS, THE GARCILLANOS, THE CHINKOES AND THE TANS IN OUR MIDSTS---THEY ARE THOSE WHO OCCUPIED SENSITIVE POSTS IN GOVERNMENT WHO SHARED THESE PEOPLE'S BELIEFS OF STEALING NOT JUST OUR MONIES BUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN AS WELL.


It is not the fault of the people that we have a corrupt government--it is the monumental SIN of those who want to lead us. The People have expressed their disgusts over the system and wanted to change it several times. BUT it is the ELITES of this COUNTRY WHO SABOTAGED THE LEGITIMATE PEOPLE'S EXPRESSION AGAINST GRAFT AND CORRUPTION BY OWNING THE SPIRIT OF EDSA AND TRADEMARKING IT AS AN ENTERPRISE OF A FEW, NOT OF THE MANY.


WHY BLAME THE PEOPLE FOR OUR CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS WHEN THESE ELITES ARE THE TRUE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE SYSTEM?


Is it our sin that we have an Executive Secretary who now has to explain to the public how in the world did he get a 60 million plus house when his assets are just at 12 million?


Is it our fault that government officials in this "new" administration continually steal our monies, by bits and pieces, and allow Big Business to raise their prices in wanton fashion?


Even if the people do little acts of Patriotism every single day, but the elites continue on their sinning ways, there is no hope left for us. Eradicate these scums from our country, and expect to live more comfortably shortly thereafter.