Where is the outrage?

There was a collective outrage among bloggers with the Malu Fernandez controversy. There was a colletive outrage among Fil-Ams with the racist statement from Desperate Housewives. Today, we are confronted by a much, much more despicable incident but where is the outrage?

The opposition is and will bleed the issue for their selfish motives. The commentators and opinion writers are having a heyday making various spins and interpretations with Fr. Panlilio's expose. But where is the outrage?

Definitely, it is not only the few who have spoken that received a paper bag with bundles of money. An ABS CBN video footage showed other politicians carrying similar bags. The rest may deny getting any money but it won't change the fact that public perception is that they indeed got money. Delicadeza is alien to them. Garapalan is the name of the game. But still, where is the outrage.

Why are we not out in the streets demanding for explanations and even making calls for resignation? Why do we go on with are lives as if this suhulan is just a normal incident? Why is there no collective outrage? NO, I am not calling for people power. I am merely asking why have we become so meek and numb as a people in spite of the endless political scandals that confront us everyday.

The suhulan did not really come as a surprise. The suprise is when somebody, thanks to Fr. Panlilio, finally came out to expose the incident. (I am quite disappointed with Gov. Grace Padaca when she claimed on the news that she got a Christmas card from the GMA with P50,000 but never came out to expose this gift giving incident at that time.) Corruption has become a way of life in our country. We know it happens. It is the P500,000 that Fr. Panlilio showed to media that gave corruption a "face".

In his column today, Jose Ma. Montelibano said, "Nation building is character building". Precisely. And that is my personal advocacy. Call it character building, value formation, good citizenship. If there is no collective change in our attitude and ways as a people, we will remain unaffected by the corrupt practices we see and hear everywhere. It is not really surprising why there is no collective outrage with regards to this blatant suhulan in Malacanang.