Who's the Boss Now?

The cleansing process began when President Aquino proclaimed the very core philosophy of his administration: the eradication of the wang-wang mentality among the powerful. This is a deft political move. This, in effect, is an attempt to consolidate power by eliminating other "centres of power". Let me explain further.


During the 9-year reign of former president Arroyo, power was dispersed among the close associates of the First Family. Petty "chieftains" and Fief Lords were created mainly on the blessing of the First Couple and placed in the periphery to protect the center of power.Though control was still exercised by the First Couple, their associates do the work for them, controlling every lever of government and influencing the conduct of how the government do business.


It is erroneous to presume that the First Couple did all those dirty things. It was their associates who used the law to protect their illicit activities and it was their associates who flaunted the power when the use of the law has already expired. 


For example, in yesterday's Senate probe on the alleged involvement of the First Gentleman in the sale of two second-hand helicopters to the PNP, we see no names or tracks of the First Gentleman in all the documents submitted by the so-called whistleblowers. Yes, their testimonies point to the First Gentleman but it was a "he said, he said" thing, an issue to be as yet determined by the Courts. 


The First Gentleman knew how the law works, and he skirted it by paying and receiving cash.  What he probably did was exercise his influence, which, under our laws, is not punishable. 


There is a possibility that indeed, the First Gentleman did not even know what really transpired during the deal making for these helicopters. Definitely, these things were undertaken through the use of thick layers which protect the principal from any damage or law suits.


This is the exact problem that now bedevils our bureaucracy. Since power has been dispersed so thinly and so expertly that every petty official cultivated the idea of every illicit deal getting the blessing of the "HIgher up", when all it was was just thin air. 


When you give every associate the status of a KNight, you give them the right to exercise your power, along with it, the cultivation of a mind set called "wang-wang". 


The Executive is now sending a message to every single one in the bureaucracy that it is ready to get back this "power" and consolidate it once more in a singular source, meaning the President. This is a very deft political move, a requisite to the attainment of good and clean governance.