Like the proverbial tip of the iceberg, something potential dangerous is lurking under the provincial government's controversial P9.7-million purchase of a hydraulic excavator. When lawyer Victor de la Serna first raised the issue on the alleged overprice after learning that another contractor acquired a backhoe of the same make by about P2-M less from Maxima Industries, the same firm that sold the heavy equipment to the provincial government, it seemed like a harmless query that was neither here nor there.

Instead of making light of the question regarding the disparity as people who are less defensive usually do, Capitol apologists went on full-throttle. Paying a full-page ad in another paper, the thesis of the apology was that de la Serna got his facts wrong. In effect, it made de la Serna look like Pollyana lost in the wonderland of heavy equipment, brands, models, costing and other facts that would confuse any ordinary whistle-blower wannabe. But de la Serna is no ordinary whistle-blower and he certainly is not one who gets easily confused in the maze called bureaucratic red tape. A bar topnotcher in addition to being a former governor, it turned out de la Serna had other aces up his sleeves. So what if Capitol purchased a Volvo? De la Serna swears this made the overprice more glaring.

Belatedly realizing that the iceberg might be carried too far in the cross-current of public opinion, Capitol announced steps that supposedly would prevent the brouhaha from happening again. Come now, it seems something is missing here. If indeed there had been no anomaly contrary to what de la Serna is alleging, why the need to plug the loopholes? As your neighborhood philosopher would say, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

On the other hand, if the transaction is disadvantageous to the provincial government as de la Serna's scouting tends to indicate, the boys with their hands on the cookie jar should be haled and be made accountable for the caper. A revamp certainly looks more like a clever diversionary tactic to draw the fire away but it looks more like a cover-up just in case the bushfire turns into a forest fire. Somehow, it reinforces the belief that where there is smoke there is fire.

This charade stinks not only because this will not settle the question on whether the province paid more than what it should. With it going up in smoke is the next question on who made money because of the sweetheart transaction. One thing sure though: we haven't heart the last of this backhoe purchase.