EDITORIAL - Immoderate greed

Why is it that the supposed "immoderate greed" of one public official is sufficient to move the entire machinery of government to ensure the destruction of that official and yet the same immoderate greed in power companies is not sufficient to move the entire machinery of the same government against these companies?

To be sure, the government has publicly expressed its dismay over the immoderate greed of power firms in jacking up rates to astronomical heights to ensure their wanton profits and has vowed to investigate. But that is about it. From experience everybody knows how this one ends. There is no relentless pursuit involved.

That is the reason why no meaningful and lasting reforms will ever take place in this country. Because there is no sincerity and resolve to pursue them to the end. There is instead the double standard that everyone applies on anything and everything.

There is hardly anything that happens wherein double standard is not applied as a matter of course. Take the case of the official alluded to at the beginning of this article. A "golfing" photograph in China was relentlessly pursued as proof of some shady dealing.

And yet, when alleged judiciary fixer "Maam Arlene" was caught in a photo with members of the judiciary during the retirement party of one court official, the Supreme Court was quick to point out that one picture does not constitute evidence of wrongdoing. What is bad for the gander is not necessarily bad for the goose.

Had the immoderate greed referred to the official at the beginning of this article, government would have dropped everything else just to arrest and curtail that greed. But because power firms are not political enemies but can actually become political patrons, the kid gloves treatment becomes very palpable.

Investigate collusion among power firms? Probe exorbitant power rate adjustments? Who is the government kidding? It may make some noise by itself for effect. But that should be about it. It knows that given time, everybody will have no choice but to swallow the abuses in the power sector.

This is the difference between the public sector and the private sector. In the public sector, at least an erring or abusive official can be removed by a number of means over time. A president, for instance, can be president for only six years.

But erring or abusive power firms can go on erring and abusing forever because their erring and abusing are, ironically, guaranteed by oppressive laws. Virtually monopolistic, these power companies abide by one motto only -- if you can't put up, shut up (or down, as the case truly is).