The Secretary of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) appears to be taking all the blame as the scandal surrounding the flood control projects unfolds. The question is this: Whose conscience will get inundated with guilt if we open the floodgates of command responsibility?

Suppose we adhere to every aspect of the command responsibility framework. Shouldn’t someone be uttering the well-known phrase, popularized by U.S. President Harry Truman, “The buck stops here”?

Who should be saying, “The final responsibility rests with me”?

Who is conscientious enough to say, “I take full responsibility”?

Nobody is doing so. Instead of doing a Harry Truman, the mayors, governors, congressmen, and senators are all doing a “Pontius Pilate.” I will not be surprised if, in the days to come, these Honorable Gentlemen and Ladies will also do a “Judas Iscariot.”

I don’t know if President Bongbong Marcos was correct in using the pronoun “kayo” when he said “Mahiya naman kayo” in his latest State of the Nation address. I think it should have been “Mahiya naman tayo.” He would have gained more admiration had he used “tayo” instead of “kayo.” While the DPWH is directly responsible for implementing flood control projects, the President, as the head of the executive branch, bears ultimate accountability for ensuring proper oversight. At least, His Excellency is now correcting the acts of omission and commission (and yes, the “commission,” if you get what I mean). He should be given credit for that, although “prevention” would have been preferable to “correction.”

Did you see how some local executives, congressmen, and senators crucified the DPWH officials and contractors? Did they not know about the substandard and ghost flood control projects in their respective localities? Did they not really know about the corrupt practices happening right under their noses? Come on, we were not born yesterday.

Nobody will believe you, even if you deny to death that you know nothing about the substandard and ghost flood control projects. It is improbable that nobody informed you that these mega projects are being undertaken in your jurisdiction. As a VIP (being an elected official), nobody in their right mind would construct anything in your backyard without notifying you. Furthermore, it is impossible that nobody whispered to you about “for the boys.” Whether you accepted or rejected it, only you and God know.

Don’t be a “Pontius Pilate.” You may not be guilty of accepting anything passed under the table, but why are you not brave enough to say that you actually turned a blind eye? Don’t act now as if you are the champions of your constituents and during TV interviews hurl all those invectives against those who are now tagged as suspects in the “flood control project scams.” Your act of washing your hands on national television didn’t go unnoticed. It’s not funny at all. If only we had an intelligent electorate, I doubt you would get reelected because of it.

We need to answer the following two questions:

“Is it proper for the House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry into the flood control project scam?”

“Is it proper for the 12 remaining senators from the 19th Congress to join the ongoing investigation of the Senate’s Blue Ribbon committee on the same issue?”

Just asking!

There is another web whose strands we need to trace aside from command responsibility. It’s the web of corruption. The webs of command responsibility and corruption are connected.

Who is responsible for the Congressional appropriations for the 2025 National Budget’s subpar and ghost flood control projects?

Who is brave enough to say, “I bear ultimate responsibility”?

Who, after a deep reflection, would say, “The final decision and its consequences are mine to bear”?

And please don’t mind me asking a last question:

Whose bank accounts fattened through the scam involving the flood control project?

Puwede po bang makabalato?