Bianca Gonzalez is curious: Why do ‘guilty’ public officials find it hard to apologize?
Host and model Bianca Gonzalez. Image: Facebook/BiancaGOfficial
Model and TV host Bianca Gonzalez has always been vocal about issues concerning the nation. This time, she asked her fans and followers one question that has apparently been bugging her.
“Honest question about lots of news lately,” she started off her post on Twitter yesterday, May 23. Without dropping names, Gonzalez phrased a general question: “When a public official is/was caught doing something wrong/illegal, when interviewed for a statement, what makes it difficult to just apologize and own up to the wrongdoing?”
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
Gonzalez’s question triggered a discussion in her thread. One answer she got was from former “T.G.I.S.” actor Yves Gonzalez, who also happens to be a lawyer and the former head of government relations and public policy for Uber Philippines.
“Liability,” Yves said. “If you admit something (in front of media) then it can be used against you as an exception on the rule against self-incrimination. Hence they don’t admit/apologize.”
He added that the liability raised may either be administrative, civil or criminal.
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Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
Bianca wondered further and asked another question: “But if they really did it.. Isn’t it the more honorable thing to do to own up to it? Or is this idea too idealistic?”
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Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
“Ideally yes,” answered Yves. “In Japan, as example, honor is super important.” The former Uber PH executive added that here in the Philippines, “things are more cynical.”
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
A netizen, Aggi Alfonso Sison (@aggituh), admitted that she has also been wondering about Gonzalez’s initial question for a while. She asked: “Why can’t they own up to it and do the necessary steps to move forward nobly from it?” She added that public officials could even earn respect instead of ridicule and contempt, if they would only admit mistakes.
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
Gonzalez even ran a poll relating to her question. With 2,425 votes, 60 percent of netizens voted that they would rather see public officials apologize. The other 40 percent voted that they would be satisfied if the officials involved would explain.
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
But instead of choosing only one option, one netizen named Trix (@trix_xirt) preferred if the person involved does both actions, but with a major consequence: the public official should not be allowed to run for office again.
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
Rounding up all answers, Bianca noted that a lot of the respondents equated a public official’s apology to an admission of guilt. She then posed another question: what if officials are hesitant to apologize because they hope we would just forget about their wrongdoings? Bianca was referring to the supposed Filipino trait of being “forgetful.”
Image: Screengrab from Twitter/@iamsuperbianca
Bianca has previously voiced her opinions on numerous other issues, such as the House of Representatives’ vote to give a P1,000 budget for the Commission on Human Rights. She also expresses her opinions on body image, and has questioned people’s preference for skin whitening. JB
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