Executive secretary Lucas Bersamin and civic leader Dr. 'Ka Pep' Goitia. (Photo supplied/Bong Son)
By Tracy Cabrera
CIVIC leader Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia didn’t mince his words in defending the executive branch of government amid the latest political storm stirred by certain members of the House of Representatives.
For Goitia, chairman emeritus of Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, the issue is clear, those now pointing fingers at Malacañan are the very same individuals whose own corruption and failures have long burdened the Filipino people.
“The recent spins are nothing more than a desperate diversion. Instead of cleaning their own ranks, they attack the Executive Secretary and the Cabinet, hoping to distract the public from the rot within their own institution,” he strongly pointed out.
Accordingly, at the center of the controversy, he said, is Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, a man whose name is synonymous with integrity. A former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Bersamin’s service has always been guided by law, fairness, and the defense of democratic institutions.
“To malign him with baseless accusations is an insult not only to his office but to the very ideals of good governance,” Goitia asserted while quoting the official statement of the Cabinet that highlighted its most pointed reminder: “Clean your house first.”
He noted that no investigation, no matter how comprehensive, will bear fruit if lawmakers themselves refuse to confront the corruption festering within their chamber: “How can they demand accountability from others when they themselves have yet to answer for their own betrayals of public trust?”
The civic leader further underscored that this controversy should not derail the larger vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a vision anchored on transparency and good governance.
“PBBM’s call is simple: honest leadership in service of the Filipino people. That is what the Executive Branch is delivering. Those who wish to sabotage this effort are not only undermining the President—they are betraying the nation,” he stressed.
In ending, Chairman Goitia enthused that the fight is bigger than personalities or political factions because it is about protecting the integrity of governance from the corrosive games of those who seek to cling to power by spreading lies.
“The Filipino people deserve leaders who stand for truth, not political theater . . . In this battle, the Executive Secretary and the Cabinet stand on the side of justice, integrity and the Filipino nation,” he concluded.
