UP Ibalon Bicol: Lt. Nancy Gadian

Showing posts with label Lt. Nancy Gadian. Show all posts

COA reports of discrepancies in the 2007 AFP expenses

5/19/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

“The US government remitted P244.75 million for the Balikatan Exercises in 2007 and 2006 that should have been returned to the Philippine National Treasury but was deposited in a local bank and placed in the fund for the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGU) under the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).”----GMA TV News. com (05/18/09, Meruenas, MD)

"Reports by Newsbreak showed that there are about 8,000 ghost Cafgus nationwide, and an estimated P177.5 million yearly is misused, citing the monthly subsistence allowance of a Cafgu member is pegged at P1,800. Under the scheme, Newsbreak reported that non-existent Cafgu members are reflected in the division payroll but the allowances were diverted to other purposes."----Daily Tribune (05/19/09 Mallari, M)

Right there are observations which make the allegations of Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian deserving of a thorough investigation. Inaccuracies have been uncovered by the Commission of Audit (COA) which relate to what Gadian is talking about---that certain officers have pocketed huge sums of money intended for the US-RP Balikatan exercises.

The senate is divided as to whether the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will take care of its own or the legislature will conduct the probe. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile doesn’t want a senate inquiry, but Sen. Pia Cayetano feels it is needed for transparency and accountability.

Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Neri Colmenares, Gabriela Representatives Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan, Anakpawis Representatives Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod, and Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino have called for Lt. Gadian to be physically protected so that the alleged corruption charges against top ranking military officers will be clarified----if proven, those guilty must be brought to justice.

This new embarrassment in the Arroyo government is consistent to the country’s reputation as among the most corrupt country in the world. As of now Lt. Gadian is in hiding, terrified at the prospect of facing the military establishment. Her situation is understandable since there is little appreciation for whistleblowers who risk their lives exposing corruption involving millions of pesos.(Photo Credit: Jayel Aheram) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Archbishop backs Gadian’s expose of the misuse of RP-US Balikatan funds" Posted by mesiamd at 5/16/2009; "Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises" Posted by mesiamd at 5/14/2009

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Labels: Accountability, AFP, Bayan Muna, Commisson on Audit, Corruption, Corruption in Government, funding, Lt. Nancy Gadian, RP-US Balikatan, Totie Mesia

Archbishop backs Gadian’s expose of the misuse of RP-US Balikatan funds

5/16/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

In a pattern that is often seen when a whistle-blower speaks against corruption, the table is immediately turned against the squealer. Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian of the Philippine Navy who exposes the P46 million misuse of the 2007 RP-Balikatan fund given by the United States is now sought for desertion, ordered arrested, also accused of fund misuse.

Gadian points on retired Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, a high ranking former officer in the Western Mindanao Commant (Westmincom) Armed Forces as one among several military officials who were behind the money anomaly.

Nothing yet can be concluded in this corruption charge this early. But Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, a former military ordinariate of the Philiippines expressed his support for Lt. Gadian.

“Actually, these reports are not something new. During my time as military bishop, I heard of similar cases. But this is the first time I heard of Balikatan (exercise) being tainted by corruption. But even without the Balikatan (story of corruption), there are other news stories about corruption (in the military) so what more can you expect. In the first place we bishops are not in favor of that Balikatan,” ----said Archbishop Ramon Arguelles. Daily Tribune (05/14/09 Santos, PC; Mallari, MJ)

The charges of Gadian are serious, but many Filipinos who know of cases like this in the past doubt if a fair outcome will come out of this investigation. Similar embarrassing allegations like the World Bank's disclosure of contract rigging in road projects which the foreign bank supports are basically waylaid under the rug. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda)=0=

RELATED BLOG: "Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises" Posted by mesiamd at 5/14/2009

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Labels: Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, Corruption, Corruption in Government, investigation, Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Lt. Nancy Gadian, military, RP-US Balikatan, Totie Mesia

Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises

5/14/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Consistent to the corruption that RP is known for, another round of investigation is in the horizon This time it’s the Department of National Defense (DND,) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AF) being probed by the Philippine senate for misuse of about P46 million, an amount given the United States in 2007 in the RP-US Balikatan exercises.

The whistle-blower is Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian who alleges that retired Gen. Eugenio Cedo misused money--- of the P46 million, only P2.7 million went the to the Balikatan CMO projects. Gadian who served as head of the Western Mindanao Command Civil Military Operations based in Zamboanga City is also accused of lavish spending and insubordination by Cedo.

The allegations caught the attention of Senate defense committee chairman Sen. Rodolfo Biazon vowed who wants to conduct a probe in the senate. As many corruption charges had been exposed in the past against the pervasive government corruption, the public is skeptical if anything tangible will come out of this investigation. The AFP is a governmental institution which traditionally operates with a huge obscure budget that the public has little knowledge of. (Photo Credit: Captain Narender) =0=

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Labels: "hot money", Accountability, AFP, Corruption, Corruption in Government, Department of National Defense, DND, Lt. Nancy Gadian, military, RP-US Balikatan, senate investigation, Totie Mesia

UP Ibalon Bicol

COA reports of discrepancies in the 2007 AFP expenses

Archbishop backs Gadian’s expose of the misuse of RP-US Balikatan funds

Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises

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