‘Inside the Senate, they’re all alike’ (1)

Dear Mr. Bondoc,

The crooked BIR man I wrote to you about has his daughter and son in his staff; they often travel abroad and report to work only when they wish. Mr. B of Customs, among the raiders of 168 Mall, also has a daughter in his staff; she sells the stuff they confiscated.

But I’m more concerned about the senatorial election. Like I said, I’ve worked with a number of legislators and witnessed first hand how corrupt they are, with the exception of only three. I hope you can enlighten your readers against electing them again and again.

Let me start my story with persons I met in my first of 12 years in the Senate, as regular staff and project consultant. Keep my identity safe. Fresh from college I worked for an academic from (a region in Luzon), now deceased, good and smart. But I resigned because his chief of staff didn’t treat us equally.

I moved to another senator as action deputy, and so got to read all docs, inter-office memos, plans, programs, budgets, etc. We would travel around the country, attending fiestas, working till the wee hours, getting all the names and addresses of the townsfolk at the plaza for our database. They were sent Christmas cards, Valentine cards, etc. I encountered drunks on several occasions, but treated it as part of the job. We were not given allowances on those trips. We ate and slept in supporters’ houses or mayors’ resorts, and sometimes in cheap hotels. We rode government planes — we even had a Nomad for three days — all for free, of course.

Our boss would scold and curse us if she doesn’t land in broadsheets; for her tabloids don’t matter. We would turn up the speakerphone for all to bear her spiteful words: "mga walang silbi, palamunin, walang utak." We would all laugh although deep inside it hurt. We were all from UST, UP or Ateneo, while she didn’t finish college. How ironic!

She often threw house parties for mayors and governors, if she wasn’t elsewhere around the country partying. Our secretary would call Chinese friends to donate pancit, kakanin, viands, pastries, wine (from Duty-Free), so almost all come free. Roasted calf came from Baby P. (of Pampanga). Boss once traveled to Australia, with Baby spending all fare and accommodations — yet she has the gall to say that Baby looks like a maid. Due to the frequency of her parties, her reluctant friends would complain to the secretary: "Wala na ba kayong mahihingan na iba?" She used her friends very well.

One time I was going through our monthly expenses when I read the entries "detergent powder" and "laundry bars". I asked the office chief of staff about it, and he told me to hush up because "it’s for Madam’s house." I later found out that her maids and drivers were in our Senate payroll; meaning, they drew monthly salaries and quarterly bonuses from the government. But they admitted to me meager wages that didn’t jibe with payroll entries; again meaning Boss was pocketing the difference. She had a marketing group for a personal project also at Senate expense.

She bought condos and townhouses as her "extension offices" — and had the Senate pay the monthly amortizations. Really good in business, huh. Once she flew to Lanao on the eve of election and poured money on the voters. She took commissions from all her big projects. One contractor named Manny once requested that I tell Boss that her new house was ready, so he needed the SARO (special allotment release order) from the Dept. of Budget and Management). I learned then that contractors and suppliers, upon receipt of SAROs, would remit 30-percent kickbacks, called "SOP", "rebate" or "commission".

I can’t recall all her misdeeds and affairs with married politicos. Her family couldn’t stand it. Enriching herself in office, she was able to redeem her mortgaged mansion — and buy even more houses in Baguio, Cavite, Quezon City, three condos in Pasig, and five in Pasay, plus luxury vehicles and jewelries.

I wonder why soldiers idolize two other senators. They pocket the millions that they promised to pitch to foundations from pork barrels. One of them and his executive assistant pocketed so much that they were able to buy houses, vehicles and Hong Kong vacations for their wives and mistresses. When the wife found out about the girlfriend, she took over selecting all the project contractors.

That’s what I learned in the Senate: outwardly they’re different, but inside, man or woman, they’re all the same. I have eight more senators to tell you about, especially the ones to whom I personally delivered money.

Sincerely,

Jason

(To be continued)

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