By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:51:00 03/01/2010
THE ASSASSINATION OF “jueteng” whistle-blower Wilfredo “Boy” Mayor shows how dangerous it is to expose irregularities in government.
Mayor was gunned down by men on two motorcycles after he came out of a casino in Pasay City early Sunday morning.
Mayor, along with Sandra Cam, ratted on presidential spouse Mike Arroyo’s alleged involvement in jueteng payoffs during a Senate hearing several years ago.
If we think a whistle-blower is safe because people he denounced would not touch him for fear of public reprisal, Boy Mayor’s death proves us wrong.
The government, especially this administration, doesn’t protect citizens who publicly denounce corruption in government.
If you’re a whistle-blower or a journalist who exposes wrongdoings in government, be prepared for the possible consequences of your act.
And if the people you exposed are very influential or government bigwigs, the more you should not rely on government for your protection.
* * *
Mayor and Cam came to see me Friday or two days before he was killed.
Mayor accused a fellow public works contractor (Boy had changed his means of livelihood from being jueteng financier to building roads and bridges) of being involved in the alleged rigging of projects in Bicol.
After I listened to Mayor, I told him that his accusations were not supported by documents.
I told him to come back after he had all the documents with him.
Before he left, Mayor and Cam expressed fears for their safety.
Their fears were not unfounded after all.
* * *
A message to Sandra Cam: You knew what you were getting into when you and Mayor made that Senate exposé years ago.
So, stop complaining about the dangerous life you are living and just bite the bullet.
When you announced on radio yesterday that you and Mayor talked to me two days before his assassination, you unduly placed my life in danger.
I’m not complaining since living on the edge is part of my territory; I’m just saying that you should protect people you’re trying to get sympathy from.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20100301-256125/Whistle-blowers-cant-rely-on-govt-for-protection
