When the Ombudsman-Visayas warned elective local officials in Cebu not to use government service vehicles for their campaigns, we were reminded of their so-called “Oplan Red Plate” program in which they were supposed to monitor any misuse of government owned vehicles.
Concerning the effectivity of their program, we could cite the example of former Talisay City mayor and now Councilor Socrates Fernandez who was suspended and fined for allowing his adopted son, the now jailed Joavan Fernandez, unlimited use of a Talisay City government vehicle.
So it’s not as if the program is hopelessly ineffective. It’s just that public awareness and perception of the Red Plate campaign is severely limited. The Ombudsman-Visayas has yet to produce a list of government officials that were sanctioned for misusing not only government issued vehicles but equipment as well.
It’s not uncommon to see local officials use government issued vehicles to fetch supporters from every nook and cranny in their cities and towns. They could use the alibi that they were using the vehicles and equipment for “official purpose” though when asked to explain what purpose it is, they would usually hem and haw and let their legal officers do the talking or arguing in court.
Some officials like Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said they were unaware about the prohibition of using government owned vehicles to fetch supporters and are only too willing to argue their case at the Ombudsman or in court.
Still others like Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes have the fortune of being wealthy enough to have their own ambulances which they can use to fetch ailing constituents from their homes to the nearest hospital.
Ideally, candidates and incumbent officials seeking reelection should use their own resources which they usually have at their disposal through their parties and their allies. If their allies happen to be rich business types who have no qualms about spending millions and billions to support their campaigns, it would still have to be accounted to the Commission on Audit (COA).
Also such allies would usually require quid pro quo and the favors would usually be bigger in the case of political allies who may range from an influential kingmaker who prefers to work behind the scenes or as in the case of Cebu, politically entrenched families.
For those who don’t have the machinery, it won’t be uncommon for them to use the local government’s resources to prop up their campaign. Here is where the Ombudsman-Visayas in coordination with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should start cracking the whip on re-electionist officials devoid of any backers who will have access to government vehicles and resources they can use at their whim.
But here’s the caveat; they will only investigate if there’s a complaint against said incumbent official seeking reelection. Anyone filing a complaint will usually be perceived by the accused official of being used by rivals to conduct a hatchet or demolition job on them and no thanks to government bureaucratic red tape, the complaints will drag on until kingdom come.
Which is not only a source of disbelief, frustration and disappointment but a telling reminder of how the wheels of justice grind ever so exceedingly slow in this country that it can render the most vigilant and committed cynical and bitter.