Battle for 2016 begins: Why Revilla attacked Roxas

Last Tuesday, beleaguered Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., one of the three Senators currently embroiled in the 10 Billion Peso Pork Barrel Scam called for a press conference at the Senate to ask for the resignation of DILG Sec. Mar Roxas. During the press briefing, Revilla said that Roxas was responsible for bringing out the witnesses against them such as Ruby Tuason and now, Dennis Cunanan. Moreover, Revilla also stated that Roxas was no longer effective in his duties and responsibilities given his allegedly poor performance in handling the Zamboanga hostage crisis and the natural calamities that followed such as the major earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol and Typhoon Yolanda which devastated Leyte and Eastern Samar.

 

Why punish Roxas?

 

After hearing these tirades from Revilla, my initial reactions were isn’t it the job of Roxas and every government leader to make sure that the truth comes out especially when it involved the corruption of billions of pesos of tax-payers’ money? If indeed he was responsible for making Tuason and Cunanan come out and testify, then shouldn’t we praise him instead of asking him to resign? In addition to this, isn’t it Revilla who should consider resigning or at least take a leave of absence from his position in the Senate while there is an on-going investigation on the Pork Barrel Scam so as not to unduly influence the result of the investigation?

 

I have said it time and again that if there is any tinge of delicadeza left in those who are involved in this Pork Barrel Scam, they should either resign from their position or at least take a leave of absence. They should take the lead from former Muntinlupa Congressman Ruffy Biazon, who immediately resigned from his post as Customs Commissioner as soon as the Department of Justice filed a case against him in the office of the Ombudsman for his alleged involvement in this Pork Barrel Scam.

 

Shifting public attention away from Pork Barrel Scam

 

Many are probably wondering why the sudden attack by Revilla on Roxas. There are several reasons for this. First and foremost is that Revilla and his cohorts realize that the Pork Barrel Scam issue is again the top headline in almost all our media groups after it initially mellowed down due to the aftermath of Yolanda during the latter part of the year. It is back in the news after Tuason decided to come back to the Philippines and become a state witness. Now, Tuason’s decision to surface and her eyewitness account on how she delivered money directly to Senator Jinggoy Estrada has emboldened other witnesses to follow suit such as Cunanan and ever perhaps, actor Matt Ranillo III. By attacking Roxas, Revilla is trying to shift the attention of the public away from the real issue of the Pork Barrel Scam and at the same time, he is trying to put Roxas on the defensive. By not answering Revilla back, Roxas has effectively negated Revilla’s public relations strategy to shift the news cycle away from him and those that are involved in the Pork Barrel Scam.

 

Bringing down PNoy’s heir apparent

 

Another main reason why Revilla is focusing his tirade on Roxas is because of the 2016 elections. If you will recall, Revilla and his group initially tried to directly attack President Noynoy Aquino when Estrada made a privilege speech last year wherein he directly accused Malacanang of allegedly tampering with the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona. After several attempts by their group to bring down the popularity of PNoy throughout the latter part of 2013, the most recent SWS and Pulse Asia surveys have consistently shown that the President continues to be trusted by majority of Filipinos all over the country. When this strategy failed, they are now shifting their guns on Roxas who is perceived to be PNoy and the ruling party’s candidate for President in the coming 2016 elections.

 

They feel that since they cannot bring down PNoy, they might as well drag down the credibility of the people whom he trusts the most. By bringing down Roxas, their group feels that the ruling Liberal Party of which PNoy and Roxas are part of, will no longer have a strong and winnable candidate in the 2016 elections. Let us remember that if Revilla and Estrada’s ally wins and PNoy’s candidate loses in 2016, there is a strong chance that all of these cases filed against them may just be swept under the rug. Whether or not this strategy will work remains to be seen since there are still no surveys that would show who are the main frontrunners to be the next occupant of Malacañang.

 

Focus on punishing those involved in Pork Barrel Scam

 

In all of these, the public should remain focused on what is the main pressing and important issue at hand and that is bringing to justice all those who are involved in this 10 Billion Pork Barrel Scam. While 2016 is just around the corner, what is important now is we show every Filipino and the whole world that justice can be equally served to those who have defrauded our country’s public coffers regardless of their power and influence. This is the only way we will be able to stop graft and corruption in our government and the only way we can truly say that we are on the right track towards good governance in our country.

 

Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com / Follow me at Twitter: @harveykeh

 

Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government and is also the Lead Convenor of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of this website.