If there is someone that best represents the degradation of our political values, he is no other than Benjamin Abalos, Sr.

Immediately after the 2007 elections, rumors swirled about a certain Comelec official who was involved in the rotten National Broadband Network-ZTE Corp. deal. Signed during the election period, the Omnibus Election Code explicitly bans transactions of this type, except for transactions that have the Comelec’s imprimatur. This deal was signed, and it was assumed that the Comelec approved it.

The NBN project was conceived from scratch. Its purported objective was to create a broadband network, owned and operated by the government, to connect all government agencies and offices. Not only is this project contrary to the privatization efforts of the government, it is unnecessary and inefficient. And we will be adding more to the national debt because of this useless project.

The facts of this rotten deal are being exposed by Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc, although the name of the Comelec official was not disclosed. Not until Representative Carlos Padilla delivered a privilege and named Ben Abalos, Chair of Comelec, as the Comelec official involved in this deal.

We used to hold our leaders in high regard, and we expect them to act with honesty, uprightness, and dignity. Yes, we expect them to be like Caesar’s wife – above suspicion. The concept of delicadeza bound our leaders to right conduct.

All of these are being thrown away. Ben Abalos is just the right person to be the poster boy of the degradation of our political values.

Everyday, Abalos’ stink in this deal is being exposed, and he tries to justify his corrupt actions with corny wisecracks and subtle distractions.

He admitted going to China on ZTE’s expense. He admitted playing golf with ZTE officials. He admitted talking with ZTE officials to help his child on importation issues. Heck, he almost admitted getting in bed with women supplied by ZTE! These actions an upright politician and government official would have avoided like a plague, because he knows that after committing such acts, his reputation is forever tainted; the people will no longer trust him.

And that is sadly not in the mind of Ben Abalos.

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I guess we had it coming. We actually share something in common with Ben Abalos. We only care for ourselves, for our welfare. After all, why would Abalos sacrifice his reputation? He doesn’t care, since it is all about the money.

If we all value honesty, if we all hold our leaders to strict standards, we would all be outraged by Abalos’ actions, we would all be calling for his resignation. Yet what are we doing? We are all busy earning our bread, planning on getting out of this country, watching stupid TV shows, drinking alcohol as if not doing so would kill us, sipping expensive coffee and speaking alien gobbledygook. Heck, some of us would even say the catch-phrase of this political era: ganyan naman lahat sila (all of them are like that). Yeah. Ganyan naman lahat TAYO (ALL OF US ARE LIKE THAT).

Can you accept that? Do you think you are corrupt?