THEY ROBBED THOSE WHO DID THE WORK—THEN TOOK THE APPLAUSE

*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

I heard about a family who had just lost someone they loved. Before the siblings could grieve, they had to find money for the hospital bill and the burial. May tumatawag sa mga kaibigan. May naghahanap ng mahihiraman. May nag-aasikaso ng mga papeles kahit halos hindi na makapag-isip sa pagod at lungkot. They wanted to give their loved one a dignified farewell. Sa gitna ng matinding dalamhati, silang magkakapatid ang gumawa ng paraan.

Then a relative arrived. This person presented themselves as wealthy and influential, with government connections that could supposedly open doors. The relative took photographs at the hospital and posted them online. Pagkatapos ng libing, sinabi ng kamag-anak na siya raw ang nagbayad ng hospital bills at lahat ng gastos sa pagpapalibing. People praised that supposed generosity. Ang magkakapatid, na ayon sa kanilang salaysay ay naghanap ng pera at nag-ayos ng lahat, ay naiwan upang pakinggan ang papuri para sa ibang tao.

According to some people who knew the relative, the image of wealth did not match the person’s circumstances. Ayon sa ilan sa mga nakakakilala sa kanya, siya ay nabubuhay sa utang habang ipinakikilala ang sarili bilang isang taong malakas ang kapit sa gobyerno. I cannot independently know every detail of those finances or connections. Ngunit malinaw ang sakit na inilarawan ng magkakapatid: habang sariwa pa ang kanilang pagluluksa, may ibang umaangkin sa sakripisyong ginawa nila para sa yumao.

How do you correct that story without turning a funeral into a fight? The people who did the work may be too exhausted, too hurt, or too respectful of the dead to argue. Iyon ang pagkakataong sinasamantala ng mga mahilig umangkin ng kredito. Habang sila ay malakas magkuwento, pinipili ng tunay na kumilos na manahimik. Their silence is understandable. Ngunit ang katahimikan ay hindi pahintulot para baguhin ng iba ang nangyari.

I think of that family when I see a government initiative launched before the cameras. An official speaks, the audience applauds, and the program becomes associated with the person holding the microphone. Ngunit bago pa dumating ang araw ng paglulunsad, may nag-aral na ng problema. May nagsulat ng konsepto, nagtipon ng datos, nakipagpulong, at nagbago ng plano nang paulit-ulit. Some of those people are consultants who have agreed to remain unnamed. Tahimik sila, ngunit hindi ibig sabihin noon na wala silang ginawa.

Since 2000, I have written and conceptualized numerous legislative proposals, policies, government programs, projects, and activities. I remained largely invisible because I chose to be. Seeing some of those ideas take shape and help people has made me happy, even without recognition. Mas mahalaga sa akin na may mabuting nagawa ang isang panukala kaysa makita ang pangalan ko sa bawat tarpaulin. Pinili kong magtrabaho sa likod ng entablado. Hindi ko piniling ibigay sa iba ang karapatang angkinin ang aking ginawa.

I felt proud when I heard President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. refer to the “8 Es” of an effective anti-illegal drugs strategy. I had conceptualized that framework, and many people in the Philippine National Police knew of my work on it. Para sa isang taong matagal nang gumagawa nang tahimik, may kakaibang bigat ang sandaling iyon. Narinig kong binibigyang-halaga sa pambansang talumpati ang konseptong pinaglaanan ko ng isip at panahon. I was glad it had travelled so far. Sana ay makatulong ito sa mga taong dahilan kung bakit ito binuo.

The President mentioned the 8 Es in his July 2024 State of the Nation Address. The framework had appeared publicly in the PNP’s 2022 ADORE campaign. 

Today, people can find advertisements for ghostwriting and research services online. Some offer academic work, including theses and dissertations, that students may submit as their own. May mga alok sa social media na para bang karaniwang serbisyo lamang ang pagpapagawa ng akdang ikaw ang pipirmahan. A student who claims another person’s dissertation as their own compromises academic integrity. Iba ang isang consultant na may malinaw na kasunduang magtrabaho nang confidential para sa isang tanggapan. Both situations can hide the writer, but they do not carry the same ethical meaning. 

A government consultant may know from the beginning that the office will present the program and the consultant will not be named. Tanggap niya ang kasunduang iyon. Hindi niya hinihingi ang kanyang pangalan sa poster, sa press release, o sa talumpati. He may even feel joy when the initiative succeeds without anyone knowing his role. Ngunit ang confidentiality ay hindi pahintulot para may ibang magsabing siya lamang ang nag-isip, nagsulat, at bumuo ng programang alam niyang ipinagawa niya sa iba.

I do not know who wrote the part of the President’s speech that mentioned the 8 Es, and I have no basis to say that writer claimed authorship of the framework. Ang punto ko ay mas malawak kaysa sa isang talumpati. A person can announce an initiative without claiming to have conceived it. Maaaring igalang ang lihim na kasunduan at maging tapat pa rin sa lawak ng sariling ambag. No confidential name needs to be disclosed for an official to avoid a false claim of sole authorship.

Officials deserve credit for approving a proposal, finding resources, coordinating agencies, and taking responsibility for implementation. Those tasks require judgment and work. Ngunit ang pag-apruba ay hindi paglikha. Ang pag-aanunsiyo ay hindi patunay na ikaw ang unang nag-isip. A leader can accept praise for leading while remaining honest about the fact that other minds helped build the program. Walang nababawas sa dangal ng pinuno kapag hindi niya inaangkin ang buong kuwento.

Sometimes the deeper wound is not the lack of public recognition. The consultant expected to remain unnamed, but there was still an agreement to be honored or a relationship built on trust. Maaaring may napag-usapang bayad o patuloy na papel sa proyekto. Maaaring ang inaasahan lamang ay hindi siya basta kalilimutan matapos maibigay ang lahat ng kanyang maitutulong. When the work is done, however, the calls stop. Ang dating laging nangangailangan ng iyong payo ay tila hindi ka na kilala.

I have helped people in situations like that. Sa simula, mahalaga ka. They seek your ideas, your time, your connections, and the program you can build. Sinasagot mo ang tawag kahit abala ka dahil naniniwala kang may mabuting patutunguhan ang inyong ginagawa. Then they obtain the concept, use the proposal, and move forward without you. Pagkatapos, sila-sila na lamang. Your messages go unanswered. Para bang hindi mo sila tinulungang makarating doon.

That is the saddest part. I can accept being unnamed. I can be happy that an initiative helps people who will never know I contributed to it. Ngunit masakit makita na ang taong tinulungan mong umangat ay siya ring nakalimot sa iyo. A person does not need a public tribute to feel valued. Minsan, sapat na ang tuparin ang usapan, sagutin ang tawag, at huwag angkinin ang trabahong alam mong ginawa ng iba.

Honor confidentiality. Honor an agreement to pay for completed work. Do not turn a contributor’s silence into a story of your sole genius. Kung ikaw ang namuno sa pagpapatupad, iyon ang sabihin mo. Kung may ibang bumuo ng konsepto, huwag mong sabihing ikaw ang gumawa ng lahat. The truth can be respected without revealing a confidential consultant’s name.

The relative at the hospital could have said that the siblings settled the bills and arranged the burial, and that the relative came to be with them. Sapat na sanang sabihin ang totoo. There was no need to become the hero of their grief. Ganoon din sa pamahalaan: maaari kang mamuno at tumanggap ng nararapat na pagkilala nang hindi inaagaw ang pinaghirapan ng tahimik na tumulong.

I remain proud that the 8 Es reached a national audience. I want useful ideas to travel and help people far beyond their creators. Pinili kong maging tahimik, at masaya akong makita ang ilan sa aking mga konsepto na nagiging kapaki-pakinabang kahit walang pagkilala. But no one should mistake that happiness for permission to break an agreement, abandon a person who helped, or claim the work as their own. Huwag gawing pagkakataon ang katahimikan ng gumawa upang angkinin ang kanyang pinaghirapan. At huwag kalimutan ang taong tumulong sa iyong makarating sa entablado.

 _________________________________________________________

Dear Reader,

I invite you to explore my complete collection of published books now available on Amazon. Whether you are seeking in-depth analysis, strategic insights, or engaging narratives, my catalog covers a range of essential topics designed to inform, inspire, and provoke thoughtful discussion.

You can browse all my current titles, read excerpts, and order your copies directly through my official Amazon Author Page: 

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Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. If you enjoy any of the titles, leaving a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated as it helps bring these ideas to a broader audience.

Warm regards,

Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

*About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

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WHY CRUCIFY GENERAL TORRE WHILE THE BARABBASES OF CORRUPTION WALK FREE?

Accountability Must Be Greater for Those Who Steal From the Nation

*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

Mabigat ang ginawa ni MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III. His privately owned SUV was reportedly used along the EDSA Busway while carrying MMDA markings, unauthorized emergency accessories and a replicated government plate assigned to another agency vehicle. Bilang isa sa pinakamataas na opisyal ng ahensyang nagpapatupad ng disiplina sa ating mga lansangan, hindi niya maaaring obligahin ang ordinaryong motorista na sumunod sa batas habang siya mismo ay lumilihis dito.

Some of Torre’s explanations were difficult to accept. Hindi porke’t may official duty ang isang opisyal ay maaari nang ituring na government vehicle ang kanyang pribadong sasakyan.

An urgent inspection cannot automatically justify the use of government markings, blinkers, sirens or a license plate belonging to another vehicle. Public authority cannot be improvised according to personal convenience.

Kapag ikaw ang nagpapatupad ng batas, hindi sapat na mabuti ang iyong layunin. Your methods must also be lawful, proper and transparent. Kaya nararapat lamang na managot si General Torre. The penalty must be fair, proportionate and consistent with what would be imposed upon an ordinary motorist who committed the same violations.

The investigation must also determine who ordered, authorized or knowingly allowed the modifications and the use of the replicated plate. Hindi dapat matapos ang usapin sa pagpaparusa lamang sa drayber kung may ibang taong nagdesisyon, nagpahintulot o nakinabang sa paggamit ng sasakyan. Accountability must follow responsibility—not merely the person holding the steering wheel.

Yet one important fact should not be ignored: Torre admitted his mistake. He apologized publicly, paid the corresponding fines and accepted responsibility for what happened. Siya ay nag-leave at nabalitang pinag-iisipan na rin ang pagreretiro sa public service.

Hindi nito binubura ang kanyang paglabag. It does not automatically erase his accountability. But an admission of wrongdoing still matters in a political culture where many officials continue to deny everything—even when documents, witnesses and evidence are already staring them in the face.

We can punish the violation without destroying the entire person.

General Torre is certainly not Jesus of Nazareth. Hindi siya inosenteng taong pinaparusahan para sa kasalanan ng iba. He is a public official who committed a serious and embarrassing mistake. But if society is determined to metaphorically crucify him, then we must ask an uncomfortable question: Why are we so eager to condemn General Torre while the many Barabbases of corruption continue to walk freely through the corridors of power?

The biblical metaphor is not meant to declare Torre innocent. It is meant to question the judgment of the crowd. Paulit-ulit nating pinipili ang madaling kondenahin habang nakalalaya sa ating galit ang mas mapanganib at mas mapaminsalang mga tao. Madaling sigawan ang opisyal na nakitang dumaan sa EDSA Busway. Mas mahirap banggain ang mga makapangyarihang maaaring sangkot sa paglustay ng milyon o bilyong pisong pag-aari ng taumbayan.

Let us make the distinction clear. The controversy surrounding General Torre does not allege that he pocketed public money or plundered government funds. Walang alegasyon sa partikular na insidenteng ito na ninakaw niya ang pondong nakalaan sana para sa pagkain, gamot, paaralan, imprastraktura o kabuhayan ng mga Pilipino.

He committed serious traffic and administrative violations, and he must answer for them. Pero hindi ito kapantay ng pagnanakaw sa bayan.

Compare this with corruption involving projects intended to protect lives and communities. Kapag ang pondong inilaan para sa flood-control projects ay ibinulsa, nilustay o ginamit sa substandard at ghost projects, hindi lamang traffic rules ang nalalabag. Families can lose their homes. Workers can lose their income. Businesses can be destroyed. Entire communities can be submerged, and human lives can be placed in danger.

Sa ganitong uri ng korapsyon, hindi lamang pera ang nawawala. Nawawala ang tahanan, trabaho, kabuhayan, kaligtasan at kung minsan, maging ang buhay ng tao. The damage is not momentary. It can burden families and communities for many years.

Behind corruption are not only the people who directly receive or pocket the money. Nariyan din ang mga enablers—the officials who approve questionable transactions, the contractors who knowingly deliver defective projects, the employees who manufacture documents, the auditors who deliberately look away, the political protectors who obstruct investigations and the people who remain silent in exchange for security, influence or personal benefit.

These are among the Barabbases we set free every day.

We free them whenever we choose to condemn a noisy personality for a visible violation while ignoring the quiet operators behind grave abuses of power. Pinalalaya natin sila kapag halos lahat ng ating galit ay ibinubuhos sa isang traffic offender, samantalang ang mga taong responsable sa pagkawala ng public funds, kabuhayan at buhay ay unti-unting nawawala sa pambansang usapan.

Consider the renewed effort to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Ang sinasabi ng ilan ay makatitipid daw ang pamahalaan kapag ipinagpaliban ang halalan. But that justification exposes a painful and insulting contradiction: may pera para sa korapsyon, pero walang pera para sa demokrasya.

The Barangay and SK elections are currently scheduled for November 2026, but proposals have again been introduced to move them to a later date and extend the terms of incumbent officials. Election watchdogs have warned that repeated postponements weaken democratic accountability. The financial argument is also questionable because COMELEC has cautioned that postponement could waste billions already spent on preparations, while even a one-year delay could require substantial additional funding. 

⁠

An election is not merely an expense appearing in the national budget. It is the mechanism through which people can retain, replace or reject their leaders. Ang balota ang pinakamapayapa at pinakamalinaw na paraan upang papanagutin ng mamamayan ang mga namumuno sa kanilang barangay.

There are honest, hardworking and dedicated Barangay and SK officials who deserve recognition. But we must also admit that corruption, favoritism, political patronage, questionable procurement, ghost beneficiaries and misuse of public assistance can exist even at the grassroots level.

Kapag paulit-ulit na ipinagpapaliban ang halalan, hindi lamang mabubuting opisyal ang nananatili sa puwesto. Pati ang mga opisyal na dapat nang suriin, palitan o papanagutin ay nabibigyan ng karagdagang panahon sa kapangyarihan nang walang panibagong mandato mula sa mamamayan.

Why should General Torre’s traffic violation receive louder national condemnation than the alleged misuse of public funds happening in various levels of government? Bakit halos hindi tayo makahinga sa galit dahil sa kanyang sasakyan, ngunit tila mabilis tayong manahimik kapag ang pinag-uusapan ay pondong nawawala sa mga barangay, lungsod, lalawigan, national agencies at malalaking government projects?

This is how greater issues are erased by a sordid fiasco.

A dramatic controversy becomes the center of public outrage. Sumasabog ang social media. Commentators compete to issue the harshest condemnation. Politicians suddenly rediscover the language of accountability. Meanwhile, deeper scandals quietly retreat from the headlines. The people are entertained by the spectacle of one man’s fall while the machinery of corruption continues operating away from the cameras.

There have long been criticisms of Torre’s public style. Masyado raw siyang maingay sa social media. Para raw niyang ibinebenta ang kanyang sarili, itinataas ang kanyang pangalan at ginagawang bahagi ng kanyang leadership style ang palagiang pagpapakita sa publiko.

Perhaps Torre has his reasons for that approach. In this age of digital governance, directly communicating with the public is not inherently wrong. But excessive visibility carries a dangerous price. Kapag palagi mong inilalagay ang iyong sarili sa spotlight, ang spotlight ding iyon ang magpapalaki sa bawat pagkakamali mo. The public that applauds your dramatic actions today can become the same crowd demanding your destruction tomorrow.

That may have been one of General Torre’s greatest strategic blunders. He created a highly visible public personality, and when he committed a visible violation, the public reaction became equally loud, relentless and personal.

But social-media noise must never become the measurement of justice. Ang hustisya ay dapat nakabatay sa ebidensiya, batas at bigat ng pinsalang ginawa—hindi sa dami ng shares, reactions, comments o views.

This is where our national sense of proportion becomes deeply troubling. A visible official involved in a traffic controversy can be humiliated, pressured to resign and treated as though his entire career should be erased. Samantala, may mga taong nahaharap sa mas mabibigat na alegasyon na nananatili sa kapangyarihan, nakabubuo muli ng political machinery at kung minsan ay naibabalik pa sa puwesto sa pamamagitan ng eleksiyon.

Ang iba ay tahimik na gumagawa ng kalokohan. They do not announce every action on social media. They quietly negotiate questionable contracts, influence the release of government funds and protect one another behind closed doors. Dahil hindi sila kasing-ingay o kasing-visible ni Torre, hindi rin ganoon kalakas ang galit na ibinabato sa kanila.

This is not a defense of General Torre. Accountability is not persecution, and requiring him to answer for his actions is not an injustice. Ngunit nagiging baluktot ang accountability kapag mabagsik itong ipinapataw sa mga visible at madaling gawing target, samantalang ang makapangyarihang lumalabag ay hinaharap ng katahimikan, pagpapaliban at selective blindness.

If we demand accountability for an unauthorized plate and an illegal passage through the EDSA Busway, then our demand for accountability against plunderers, corrupt officials and their enablers must be immeasurably louder. Kung hindi, nagiging selective outrage ang ating galit—mabangis laban sa madaling batikusin ngunit mahina sa harap ng makapangyarihang mandarambong.

General Torre’s experience should become a permanent lesson—not only for him but for every public servant. Government plates, official markings, sirens, blinkers and restricted lanes are not decorations of power. They are instruments of the state governed by law. Kapag ginamit ang mga ito nang walang wastong pahintulot, nasisira hindi lamang ang pangalan ng opisyal kundi pati ang tiwala ng mamamayan sa institusyong kanyang kinakatawan.

Let General Torre face the proper legal and administrative consequences. Hayaan siyang magmuni-muni tungkol sa kanyang pagkakamali, leadership style at paggamit ng social media. Let this painful experience remind him and every other official that public service does not provide shortcuts around the law.

But let us not crucify General Torre while quietly releasing the Barabbases of corruption.

If no one is above the law, then neither are plunderers, corrupt politicians, dishonest contractors, political protectors, government enablers, senators, congressmen, Cabinet officials, agency heads or barangay officials. Hindi maaaring ipatupad ang prinsipyong ito laban lamang sa taong ang pagkakamali ay nakunan ng video. It must apply with even greater force to those who steal public money, abuse public authority, weaken democratic accountability and endanger Filipino lives and livelihoods.

Punish the traffic violation. Correct the abuse of privilege. Demand responsibility from General Torre. But do not allow this sordid fiasco to erase the greater issues confronting the nation.

May pera para sa korapsyon, pero sinasabing walang pera para sa demokrasya. May lakas tayong kondenahin ang maingay na lumabag, ngunit tila nawawalan tayo ng tinig sa harap ng tahimik at sistematikong pagnanakaw.

Nawawalan ng moral na kabuluhan ang hustisya kapag nakabibingi ang sigaw nito laban sa isang lumabag sa batas-trapiko, ngunit halos walang tinig sa harap ng mga nagnanakaw sa buhay, kabuhayan, demokrasya at kinabukasan ng buong bansa.

_________________________________________________________

Dear Reader,

I invite you to explore my complete collection of published books now available on Amazon. Whether you are seeking in-depth analysis, strategic insights, or engaging narratives, my catalog covers a range of essential topics designed to inform, inspire, and provoke thoughtful discussion.

You can browse all my current titles, read excerpts, and order your copies directly through my official Amazon Author Page: 

Click this Image to View:

Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. If you enjoy any of the titles, leaving a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated as it helps bring these ideas to a broader audience.

Warm regards,

Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

*About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

VIEWS: 967K