There’s more where they came from

The Christmas rush is on—I call it “Krismess”—and most everybody is on overdrive. One can choose not to be, is all I can say, and not sound sanctimonious. Speaking of gifts, a great Christmas gift for the Filipino people would be for the scoundrels in government, in cahoots with private persons, who stole billions of people’s money to land behind bars. Before Christmas Day—wasn’t that the promise of those tasked to investigate and prosecute? Namamasko po!

The Inquirer’s banner photo two days ago (see “More kickbacks returned: P40M from DPWH-NCR director,” 12/17/25) was of bundles of P1,000 bills—worth P40 million, the photo caption said—displayed on a table at the Department of Justice. I counted 14 bundles, so that would be P42 million, more or less. The stash was part of the P150 million in kickbacks that regional director for Metro Manila of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Gerard Opulencia “vowed to return.” There is something profound about the word “vow” which the Inquirer used. Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida used the word “commitment.” Whatever, sana all.

Among those present at the turnover and standing around the table, solemnly viewing the piles of cash—no smiles at the camera—were Prosecutor Gen. Richard Fadullon and Vida. Nothing jubilant in their countenance, as if they were viewing a piece of carcass or disgusting porn. What were they thinking? A picture (by Tetch Torres-Tupas) speaks a thousand words.

The immediate reaction of some who saw the photo on social media was, “Where is the rest of the stolen money?” or “Why only that?” Yes, we had seen more, that is, photos of the billions, not millions, stashed away in a condominium unit, photos that were shown—a damning Exhibit A—at a Senate hearing. Eye-popping, heart-stopping displays of cold cash not often seen, not even in regular bank vaults. So P40 million is peanuts. While looking at the P40-million pile, I thought, ah, that can easily fit in the trunk of my car. There’s more where they came from.

And if I may digress, I remembered one of my short stories published in Philippine Graphic Reader titled “Senior Momentous,” about an adventurous movie-going senior grandma who found in the mall’s toilet cubicle a bundle of drug money and what she did next, and in the suspenseful days ahead. There is no limit to one’s fertile and sometimes weird imagination. There is also no limit to greed, gluttony, and gross display of ill-gotten wealth until…

Opulencia’s commitment to return the rest of the P150 million that came from the National Capital Region project is his way to get state witness status (fat chance!) in order to get off the hook, but that is not for him to decide. He also has knowledge of anomalies in Bulacan projects from which he did not receive kickbacks, but for which he could deliver damning evidence against those who filled their pockets.

An Inquirer news report by Tupas said Opulencia was not the first to return mounds of cash (see “DPWH exec returns P40M, pledges P110M more,” 12/16/25). Former DPWH district engineer for Bulacan Henry Alcantara returned P110 million. Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo’s bank account has been frozen by the Anti-Money Laundering Council. Former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez surrendered two luxury vehicles to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

Not to forget the Discaya couple, who are the human face of massive corruption in infrastructure projects. They have a lot more to surrender. Both are now detained separately, their fleet of luxury cars being auctioned, their bank accounts frozen, while they weep for what is to become of their “nepo” children. Gadz, if you truly loved your children…

Last week, I wrote about the toilet paper issue in the Social Security System (see “P13.195-M SSS tissue issue,” 12/12/25), their questionable, enormous toilet paper procurement, and why they should not get away with it. It is not funny. But it could add blood and sand to the horror movie playing out in our lives, as in, “They’re everywhere!”

Here’s feedback from a reader: “This 83-year-old retired Fil-Am from Cavite had a mix of emotions ranging from amusement to outrage over your masterpiece of an opinion on toilet paper. Decidedly, though, your opinion on something so trivial as a butt-wiper should hit the nerves of every reader. I was laughing my ass off, no pun intended, while gritting my teeth in anger at the same time. I am sharing this literary masterpiece with my Westernized relatives. This is too good to miss.”

Get some quiet. Relish the real Christmas in the cave of your heart.

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