The Philippines is catching up fast in aping the presidential derby in the US.
The “bridge to nowhere” in Alaska is a hot topic pitting Democrats against Republicans.
Here, there’s a rumble by several presidential wannabes on the “road to nowhere” in Metro Manila.
Senator Ping Lacson exposed the double funding of the controversial road in the 2008 and 2009 budgets. Korina Sanchez, gf of Senator Mar Roxas, thrash it in her popular radio program. There were insinuations it was a pet project of Senate President Manny Villar to benefit his housing projects. A Senate Resolution to probe the anomaly was signed by a number of senators, including Senator Roxas, Senator Chiz Escudero and Senator Dick Gordon.
I am sure this gang fight would not be amongst just these five “presidentiables.” Soon, others would join the fray.
But would probing this issue lead the nation to somewhere? I doubt very much.
Have you not heard the joke dating back from the old days of martial law about the road around Lake Lanao? Well, it has been paved several times over! But nowhere can one see it or set foot on it.
Oh, nothing new really in Pinoy politics when trapos can promise bridges even where there are no rivers.
5:37 a.m.
Peter Laviña New Blog 
September 14, 2008 at 12:42 am
I think this is basically our problem, just like the ZTE-NBN botched deal we never pay attention or do not push through with a thorough investigation if it was as outright thievery attempt or “honest mistake” which I doubt because the act was not consummated.
There is also Velarde’s and Villars realty development company that stands to gain a windfall from this project from the right-of-way to the project that will give their development a big boost in value.
Then we question the person doing the accusation and their motives treating this as a “demolition job” on a presidential aspirant but what we fail to realize is that there is intent to scam the government and the “benefit” that came with it for their vested interest. Instead of questioning whether undue influence using political position and influence was behind the project we just dismiss it as one of those empty accusation that leads to nowhere.
On another note this scandal should not be called road to nowhere as it does lead to somewhere…. to their housing development project to be specific and eventually fatten some people’s pockets at the expense of the taxpayers.
September 14, 2008 at 12:43 am
I think this is basically our problem, just like the ZTE-NBN botched deal we never pay attention or do not push through with a thorough investigation if it was as an outright thievery attempt or “honest mistake” which I doubt just because the act was not consummated.
There is also Velarde’s and Villars realty development company that stands to gain a windfall from this project from the right-of-way to the project that will give their development a big boost in value.
Then we question the person doing the accusation and their motives treating this as a “demolition job” on a presidential aspirant but what we fail to realize is that there is intent to scam the government and the “benefit” that came with it for their vested interest. Instead of questioning whether undue influence using political position and influence was behind the project we just dismiss it as one of those empty accusation that leads to nowhere.
On another note this scandal should not be called road to nowhere as it does lead to somewhere…. to their housing development project to be specific and eventually fatten some people’s pockets at the expense of the taxpayers.