While Senator Kiko Pangilinan said he understands the public frustration over the flood control corruption scandal, he urged Filipinos not to lose hope and to continue demanding accountability from the government.
Pangilinan expressed hope that Filipinos will not sit idly and will not allow cover-ups in the current twin investigations by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the billions-worth of taxpayers’ money lost to anomalous flood control programs.
“Alam ko magulo ang nangyayari sa ating bansa. ‘Yung nakikita natin na korapsyon nakakalungkot pero wag tayo magbibitiw. ‘Wag tayo mawalan ng pagasa,” the veteran legislator said in a recent radio interview.
“Pinaglalaban natin ito para mas maganda ang kinabukasan ng mga anak natin.”
“Sabi ko nga, tayo po ay ginagawa natin ito, pinaglalaban natin ito para mas maganda ang kinabukasan ng mga anak natin kaya hindi tayo pwede mawalan ng loob,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
Instead, the senator asked Filipinos to demand accountability, transparency, and justice, expressing support for “peaceful” assemblies and protests–both on social media and in the streets.
“May mangyayari kapag tayo ay kumilos at tuloy-tuloy na hinahanap ang katotohanan. Sama-sama natin pagtulungan na magkaroon ng mas magandang kinabukasan,” he stressed.
“May pag-asa pero kinakailangan natin kumilos, manindigan.”
“Wag tayo mawawalan ng loob. May pag-asa pero kinakailangan natin kumilos, manindigan,” Pangilinan added.
Pointing out that politicians are “sensitive” to the public pulse, he said that Filipinos must demonstrate their disappointments, demand the truth, and reject possible cover-ups of those involved in corrupt practices.
“Nakakalungkot na nadadawit ang ating mga pulitiko pero sabi ko nga, kinakailangan managot, hindi pwede ang cover-up, hindi papayag ang ating mga kababayan na may cover-up,” Pangilinan said.
“Handa ba ang ating mga kababayan na manindigan, tumaya, ipakita ang kanilang pag suporta na makulong ang mga nararapat?” he asked.
