Whistle Blowers: Modern Day Heroes

(I made this article for The Davao Wave in the year 2013 so some information might be outdated.)

“Back off”, Hindi ‘yan totoo.”, “Liar!”

These are but a few of the many derogatory remarks that people opt to tell the truth behind great anomalies, or better known as whistle blowers, receive when they speak what they think is right.

Ideally, everyone has the right to know the truth. But in some cases, people would deprive us from knowing it. Kudos, that there are these brave whistle blowers who are brave enough to expose the wrongdoings of others though their lives and safety will be at stake.

Whistle blowers willingly risk their lives testifying in the name of truth. For examples, Jun Lozada on NBN-ZTE deal, Clarissa Ocampo on Jose Pidal’s case and recently on the Pork Barrel scam, Benhur Luy who decided to expose Janet Lim-Napoles as the mastermind.(Source: TV5News)

Even though they knew beforehand that their lives and families could be endangered, they still would want to shed light on those controversies. A noble act to note, so to speak.

Positively, whistle blowing can somehow help stop scams. If one is now a subject in an exposé,he would no longer have the guts to commit another crime. In addition, the prison surely awaits the culprit if proven guilty.

For this reason, people like them deserve accolade. Their integrity and character may be questioned but that is just a sidelight of the story. The end point of such an heroic act is still above other concerns. What really matters most is the fact that one person has unveiled the truth.

The great sacrifice of these men deserve support from the government. When they surface, they aid in expediting the investigation especially if the people involved are government officials. It is but proper to place them under the Witness Protection Program, with provisions fully defined, reviewed and implemented.

Telling a lie is grievous, but what is more grievous than knowing the truth and deciding not to tell it?

Anyway in the end, the truth shall truly set us all free, no matter what happens.