More Jails Next Year? Promises, Bars, and the Long Wait for Accountability

Malacañang has once again raised expectations.

According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, more individuals linked to anomalous flood control projects are expected to be jailed in the coming year. The statement comes amid growing public frustration over the slow pace of arrests in one of the biggest corruption scandals tied to infrastructure spending.

“There will surely be more thrown behind bars in the New Year,” Gomez said, reiterating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s earlier commitment that those responsible for the alleged misuse of billions in flood control funds would be held accountable.

The promise echoes loudly.
But the cages still look half-empty.

So far, only a limited number of suspects—mostly contractors and lower-level officials—have been detained. Critics continue to question why other prominent figures allegedly connected to the scheme remain free, unnamed, or untouched by formal charges.

Government officials insist investigations are ongoing and that cases must be built carefully to withstand scrutiny in court. Supporters of the administration argue that rushing arrests risks acquittals and wasted prosecutions.

Yet for many Filipinos, the issue is no longer just legal—it is moral.

Communities devastated by floods, washed-out roads, and failed projects hear the same assurances year after year. The calendar changes, the language softens, and accountability is always positioned just beyond reach.

Justice is promised in seasons.
But corruption does not wait for January.

As 2025 approaches, the public watches closely—not for speeches, but for outcomes. Not for quotes, but for names. Not for timelines, but for consequences.

If more jail cells are truly coming, the question remains simple:

Who will actually walk through those doors?

Until then, the eagle circles patiently—
and the people keep score.