[Rappler’s Best] Closing the loop

We should have a good time what wants celebrating: the victory of Filipinos who pushed again in opposition to the Marcos administration’s wanton and callous switch of public well being funds to the nationwide treasury in 2024

Did you may have the misfortune of getting caught in Saturday evening’s site visitors nightmare alongside Marcos Freeway? It’s one palpable signal of the vacation season — when battle-scarred Metro Manilans nonetheless get jarred by how dangerous site visitors may get. In 2023, the truth is, we had been judged the world’s slowest metro space to drive in. Examine it right here.

Lest I sound like a celebration pooper, we should have a good time what wants celebrating: the victory of Filipinos who pushed again in opposition to the Marcos administration’s wanton and callous switch of public well being funds to the nationwide treasury in 2024. In a unanimous determination launched on Friday, December 5, the Supreme Courtroom ordered the federal government to return some P60 billion to the Philippine Well being Insurance coverage Company (Philhealth). 

• It’s a win for each Filipino, stated the petitioners in a assertion.
• Majority of the justices additionally declared “unconstitutional” a particular provision within the 2024 Basic Appropriations Act which then-finance secretary Ralph Recto invoked as foundation for his order to maneuver the cash to the treasury.
• Recto’s order really lined a complete of P89.9 billion in Philhealth funds, however the authorities was solely capable of remit P60 billion following a short-term restraining order issued by the Courtroom in October 2024.
• Because the justices had been deliberating on the petitions in opposition to Recto’s order, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. introduced that the administration will likely be returning the P60 billion to Philhealth. The price range division stated this might be restored within the 2026 nationwide price range.
• In a earlier interview, retired SC senior affiliate justice Antonio Carpio instructed Rappler that funds from Philhealth and one other government-owned and managed company, the Philippine Deposit Insurance coverage Company, had been diverted to the development of flood management initiatives, which at the moment are on the heart of the corruption disaster going through Marcos.
• Thus, Carpio stated, merely restoring the funds within the nationwide price range is a mockery. “If the reimbursement will come from the Basic Appropriations Act, the cash will come from individuals’s taxes. It’s like saying, ‘taxpayers ought to reimburse the quantity, not those that stole from public coffers.’” A restitution regulation is required to cowl this case and others affected by state theft, he added.

The larger situation, nonetheless, is accountability. If a authorities order is deemed unconstitutional, shouldn’t the official who issued it’s held liable — on this case Recto, who’s now government secretary? Nonetheless, 4 justices went out of their method, in separate opinions, to exonerate him. The triumphant petitioners, in fact, can at all times knock on the Ombudsman’s doorways.

As a result of if there’s any laborious lesson from many years of battling corruption, it’s the rigor that have to be put within the strategy of closing the loop from discovery to documentation to collective motion.

This will likely be a part of the discussions on the Rappler newsroom on Wednesday, December 10, in a Rappler+ unique briefing — “Opening the Floodgates” — the place Rappler reporters and editors will sort out how the flood management investigations had been constructed, how they hurdled roadblocks, and what subsequent steps have to be made.

Due to ideas and leads from the group, Rappler was capable of examine 5 personalities linked to the corruption scandal throughout eight full-blown investigations. Learn all about it right here.

We hope to see you on Wednesday! It’s not too late to order a seat; simply join Rappler+ in the event you’re not but a member.

Listed here are a few of Rappler’s bests that you just shouldn’t miss:

Lian Buan’s exposé on Jose “Jojo” Cadiz Jr., a longtime aide of President Marcos, prompted his rapid resignation as justice undersecretary and set off an Ombudsman probe. 

Rjay Zuriaga Castor paperwork a transparent conflict-of-interest scenario for Uswag Ilonggo Get together-list Consultant James “Jojo” Ang Jr. by his family-run building agency. Ang can be amongst these lined by an immigration lookout order issued by the justice division in opposition to these concerned within the flood management scandal. 

Mary Ann Benitez exhibits us what it’s like within the aftermath of the lethal hearth in Hong Kong that claimed at the least 156 lives, together with one Filipina, whilst she reminds us of the dire scenario of domestics there. 

Val A. Villanueva rips aside the federal government’s P500 noche buena price range. 

Den Somera tells us what awaits the laggard Philippine inventory market in 2026.

Goodbye, ICI?

After the resignation of Babes Singson from the physique and its continued questions on its effectiveness, will the ICI final past this yr?

– Rappler.com

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The views expressed by the author are his/her personal and don’t essentially mirror the views or positions of Rappler.