For the past few weeks, the incessant disturbing incidents of the "Laglag or Tanim Bala" or "Plant Bullet" extortion scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has sent shivers down the spines of OFW's and tourists, the adverse effects of which have already reached every corner of the world.
FOX News anchor Greta Van Susteren highlighted in her TV segment "Off the Record" the "Laglag Bala" scam as a plot to extort money out of the international travelers and cited more than 30 cases of ammo related incidents in the last 12 months with 5 international passengers arrested in the past 2 weeks. Susteren added " international travelers are targeted by Filipino airport security officials who plant live ammunition in their luggage and busting them to extort money".
Inquirer's Nancy Carvajal reported the that " initial findings of the NBI reveal the prevalence of a an extortion syndicate participated by porters, immigration personnel, X-ray scanners, baggage inspectors and security personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The activities of the syndicate came to light last month when Gloria Ortinez, a domestic helper in Hongkong for 26 years, was arrested, detained and charged with carrying bullet in her luggage, despite her tearful denials. Her plight was caught by TV cameras and went viral on social media.
When Benigno Simeon Aquino III assumed as President in 2010, his administration coined such earth-shaking and hopeful catchphrases… “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” and “ Matuwid na Daan” raising the hopes of the Filipino people for better lives; only to find out soon enough that Aquino III is no different from former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo. Beyond our innocent suspicion, those slogans served and will remain as a cheap deceptive political gimmick to earn the loyalty and trust of the people.
FOX News anchor Greta Van Susteren highlighted in her TV segment "Off the Record" the "Laglag Bala" scam as a plot to extort money out of the international travelers and cited more than 30 cases of ammo related incidents in the last 12 months with 5 international passengers arrested in the past 2 weeks. Susteren added " international travelers are targeted by Filipino airport security officials who plant live ammunition in their luggage and busting them to extort money".
Inquirer's Nancy Carvajal reported the that " initial findings of the NBI reveal the prevalence of a an extortion syndicate participated by porters, immigration personnel, X-ray scanners, baggage inspectors and security personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The activities of the syndicate came to light last month when Gloria Ortinez, a domestic helper in Hongkong for 26 years, was arrested, detained and charged with carrying bullet in her luggage, despite her tearful denials. Her plight was caught by TV cameras and went viral on social media.
When Benigno Simeon Aquino III assumed as President in 2010, his administration coined such earth-shaking and hopeful catchphrases… “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” and “ Matuwid na Daan” raising the hopes of the Filipino people for better lives; only to find out soon enough that Aquino III is no different from former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo. Beyond our innocent suspicion, those slogans served and will remain as a cheap deceptive political gimmick to earn the loyalty and trust of the people.
The series of brazen absolute political
power abuses by those who were elected to protect the people’s interests have revealed
the sad reality that they have abandoned their promises to the people in favor of
satisfying their rapacious greed for material possessions in life. While more
than 70 % of Filipinos are wallowing in poverty, most of our government
officials are enjoying the luxuries in life with the use of people’s money.
There are screaming headlines in the national newspapers showing Senators
having ownerships of 100 to 120 million residences, condominium units and beach
houses, expensive cars and boats and a lot more. Some unscrupulous politicians are
even maintaining expensive mistresses not necessarily to satisfy their sexual
desires as some of them are not sexually capable anymore because of age but rather
to display the venom of their absolute political power. Our Congress Representatives
are on the same mold, sad to say.
Historian and Moralist Lord Acton
expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandel Creighton in 1887: “Power
tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost
always bad men.” In a speech to the United Kingdom House of Lords in 1770,
William Pitt, Earl of Chatham and Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778 said:
“Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.”
“What Are We in Power For?” is an
infamous one-liner phrase used by the late Senate President Jose Avelino when
an investigation on his reported corruption was ordered by the late Pres.
Elpidio Quirino in 1949. The idiom was immortalized by most politicians and the
dogma flourished until today. Without batting an eyelash, Avelino continued by
saying:’ “Why should we pretend to be saints when in reality we are not? We are
not angels. When we die we will all go to hell. It is better to be in hell
because in that place there are no investigations, no Secretary of Justice, no
Secretary of Interior to go after us.” Avelino added, “When Jesus Christ died
on the cross, He made a distinction between the good crook and the bad crook.
We can aspire to be good crooks.” The faith of Avelino in corruption is fully
defensible by his catchphrase, “What Are We In Power For.” Is it?
In general, politicians run for
elected government offices because of the compelling attraction of “political
power” coupled by the freebies associated with it. Most elected politicians do not even care
about the legal salary and benefits of the position but is most enthralled by
the captivating thrill and rhapsody of being the most powerful person in the
barangay, municipality, city, province or the country as a whole. As
communities gets bigger and urbanized, the appetite of politicians for more
socio-economic programs and legislation using the people’s hard earned money
become more insatiable. More than that, most if not all political leaders who
are wielding authority do not sincerely care about the welfare of the communities
they serve but more enchanted in exercising their political power over their
constituents and that is what they want more than anything else.
Much as we have wanted to be
governed by a democratic government to rule the country by representation, the
Constitution established our rights to live in freedom unimpeded by submission
to others by setting up three branches of government that would oversee and
provide a “check and balance” situation. Unfortunately for
us, these branches of government have developed into co-conspirators in
fleecing the people evidenced by recent scandals and malfeasances in the
Judiciary, Ombudsman, the Military, Bureau of Customs and the House of Senate
and Representatives, among many others.
Our elected public officials do
not earn a great deal of money through their salaries. What makes politicians
do everything in order to win elections without regard to moral values? it is the” power”, the “other money”, and the
opportunity to become part of the exclusive class that they are in pursuit of
in the first place and endlessly struggle to protect.
When corruption is being
practiced by our political leaders to include Senators, Congressmen and other
high executive and judiciary officials of our government, I would dare say that
our country is in a quagmire with hopelessness and only a miracle can reverse
our failure as a people and as a nation.
After the series of shameful and anomalous incidents such as the PDAP, "Mamasapano massacre, Yolanda Calamity Fund scam, Muntinlupa Bilibid Prison anomalies, BOCustoms corruption schemes, among many others and now the "Plant Bullet" or "Tanim Bala" extortion conspiracy...
After the series of shameful and anomalous incidents such as the PDAP, "Mamasapano massacre, Yolanda Calamity Fund scam, Muntinlupa Bilibid Prison anomalies, BOCustoms corruption schemes, among many others and now the "Plant Bullet" or "Tanim Bala" extortion conspiracy...
Rogelio G. Balo
Nov. 6, 2015Central Valley, California USA
