JANUARY 19, 2026 — When former DPWH MIMAROPA Regional Director Gerald Pacanan showed up at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee in a white hoodie and yellow mask, it wasn’t just his face he was trying to cover — it was the shame of a scandal that reeks of public betrayal. Senators Ping Lacson and Kiko Pangilinan were quick to call him out, questioning why a man accused of pocketing millions from flood control projects suddenly feels the need to hide.

"Excuse me, matanong ko lang, bakit ba kayo nakatalukbong kung hindi naman kayo testigo?" Lacson asked.

(Excuse me, may I just ask, why are you covered up if you’re not a witness?)

Pacanan claimed it was for his “protection and security,” citing his pending case before the Sandiganbayan. 

But let’s be honest — Where was this sense of vulnerability when P289 million worth of flood control funds allegedly went missing in Oriental Mindoro? Where was the shame when communities were left vulnerable to floods while officials lined their pockets?

This isn’t just about one man hiding his face but about how corruption thrives in plain sight, and how accountability only seems to matter when the spotlight is turned on. 

Why do officials only feel embarrassed when they’re caught, not when they commit the act?

Senator Pangilinan warned that allowing such antics could set a dangerous precedent. And he’s right. If we let this slide, what message does that send to the public? That corruption can be hidden under a hood? That accountability is optional?

The people deserve transparency, not theatrics. Pacanan’s mask may have been removed in the Senate, but the mask of corruption in government remains stubbornly intact.

So now he’s shy? Where was that humility when millions in flood control funds went missing?

(Image: Senate of the Philippines | Facebook)