I cannot help but write this note in the middle of midterm exam week. But one cannot just pretend that everything that has been going on in the country is normal. We are in the middle of a brewing sociopolitical crisis.

Last Sunday, Mendiola was teargassed following the anti-corruption protests. As I write this, over 200 individuals were arrested, around half of whom are minors. A UP Diliman student and a friend, Wovi, was one of those who were arrested. The Collegian reported that Wovi will face charges of illegal assembly, resistance and disobedience, tumults and other disturbances of public order, and a violation of the Public Assembly Act.

And on Tuesday, the Senate resumed its probe on the anomalous infrastructure projects. No less than two incumbent senators have been implicated in the scheme. The revelations since last month are revolting and shocking, and it seems that no one is safe.

The Gordian knot of crisis that hounds the country exemplifies the weakness of our institutions and the downright apathy of the political actors to even lift a finger.

It is preposterous for the Senate to continue its investigation over the anomaly when two of its own members are soon to be indicted over the scandal. The Sotto leadership, if it is keen on reclaiming the chamber’s dignity, should put an end to its self-investigation. At this point, senators have seen and heard enough. The public has seen enough of the criminality inside the public works sector. Legitimate accountability must come now.

The Senate leadership must thread this carefully, else it risks another leadership change. More senators could be implicated as we further unfold the decades of stench. It must save its face now. The inquiry in aid of legislation must end. Now, the legislation part must commence.

Whether the Marcos administration’s Independent Commission for Infrastructure will work has yet to be seen. However, its independence should be scrutinized a bit further. Its special adviser, the Baguio City mayor, served various roles under the Duterte administration. The chairperson, too, was appointed by the former president to the Supreme Court.

While these connections do not automatically indicate bias, and appearance of partiality must be avoided. The people are now angry. The administration must not further inflame the situation by creating a panel whose members are dubious. In fact, it baffles me why the president–for all the PR and publicity he has raked up over the issue (e.g., “mahiya naman kayo”)–has not even bothered to appoint an “outsider” to the panel. The civil society, communities, flood victims, technical experts are nowhere to be seen.

And for accountability’s sake, we must hold liable the real saboteurs and provocateurs of the Mendiola incident–the state forces. The police’s overreaction only shows the rotten institution’s utter contempt for basic human dignity. And they think they can use might to overpower the people’s legitimate anger. They are mistaken.

We can discuss and yap so much about the propriety of the so-called use of violence last Sunday in Mendiola. We can teach them moral and righteous edicts over vandalism and destruction of property. But a reminder: Those in the margins are at the forefront of systemic state violence–the deepening hunger, worsening poverty and homelessness, even the frequent flooding. If that’s not the kind of violence that deserves an equally fitting response, I don’t know what else is.

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