Showing posts with label Accountability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Accountability. Show all posts
Credibility: a big factor in economic recovery
When Pres. Barack Obama was elected in November last year, Americans and the entire world were quick to embrace a charismatic man with a promise. Expectation was matched by soaring rhetoric and media support that made the prudent among us watchful.
There were quick infusions of capital to rescue the ailing banks, the collapsed housing market, and bankrupt auto industry---- as if the United States could buy its way out to prosperity. Short-lived jubilation came from cash-strapped Americans who believe that government entitlements would solve their money problems. They banked on Pres. Barack Obama who they thought could bring the Harvard magic and his talents to the realities of their household. At their peril, Americans suddenly learned their expectations couldn't be met as painted before the election.
A chorus of approval to Obama’s “changes” later degenerated into public insecurity. Trillions of dollars had to be paid by taxpayers on recovery plans riddled with questionable provisions. Interest groups, political allies, and large companies were direct beneficiaries while the people waited for some windfall that was hard to come by.
For instance, healthcare budget, comprising 16% of the US economy, had ominously ballooned from below $900 billion dollars to an astronomical $1.2 trillion. Many were not happy because this was not what they expected in the onset. The public saw moves to make Americans accept a plan that is very costly---a debatable proposal with hidden and confusing strings attached.
A year into Obama’s presidency, despite hopeful indications that the economy is recovering, millions of Americans are still jobless, the highest ever in 26 years. Financial experts say the recession is going away, but they are quick to qualify that the the future is uncertain and life ahead will be choppy. It's as if they don't want to be blamed if something far worse happens.
Unemployment rate has climbed to 10%. This breaks the psychological confidence of those who believe in the competence of the administration. The budget deficit has gone to the roof, worrying USA’s domestic and international business-partners. How will America be able to pay those trillions of debts from foreign lenders without mortgaging the people's future?
Despite rosy reports of improvements in US manufacturing, consumer spending has been sluggish. This causes markets to lose confidence. Investors have become panicky as the Christmas season is coming. They know tepid business will only delay the financial rebound everybody is wishing for.
“There seems to be lots of uncertainty in the markets," said Peter Lai, investment manager at DBS Vickers in Hong Kong. "I'm very cautious about the U.S. economic figures. It will be very damaging to sentiment if the U.S. unemployment rate crosses 10 percent."
Hong Kong's Hang Seng led Asia's losses, falling 380.13, or 1.8 percent, to 21,240.06 while South Korea's Kospi was down 0.6 percent at 1,549.92. Japan's market was closed for a holiday.
Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.2 percent and Taiwan's market lost 0.2 percent. China's Shanghai index bucked the trend, gaining 1.2 percent to 3,114.23 with sentiment still boosted by a weekend report manufacturing expanded for an eighth straight month in October.
As trading got under way in Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was off 1.3 percent, Germany's DAX lost 1.4 percent and France's CAC 40 fell 1.5 percent. Stock futures pointed to losses Tuesday on Wall Street. Dow futures were down 49, or 0.5 percent, at 9,686 and S&P Futures dropped 5.9, or 0.6 percent, to 1,033.20." ----Philstar.com (11/02/09)
Aside from the economic front, there is doubt in how Untied States is dealing with the nuclear issue of North Korea and Iran which use deceitful diplomacy to proliferate weapons of mass destruction. With little options, USA is forced to deal with these rogue nations.
Lately, Obama has accepted the reinstatement of Pres. Hamid Karzai, known to have won in a rigged election which left his chief rival withdrawing in protest. Afghanistan, the center of the 911 disaster, is experiencing a resurgence of Taliban activity. Bomb attacks, killing soldiers and civilians are on the rise.
Pres. Barack Obama is ambivalent on his foreign policy in spite of the tough fight US military men are facing lately. He can only promise more US servicemen for troubled Kabul, but their number will be short of the 40,000 top US commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal is asking for to stablize the militant Islamists' lair.
Like in Afghanistan, the Al Qaeda and Taliban threats in Iraq and Pakistan continue to boil with no certainty of how to solve the terrorism problem which brazenly kills scores of innocent victims. Car bombs and suicide bombers continue to bring death and destruction the civilized world finds hard to comprehend.
If Pres. Obama can’t reverse this credibility problem, it will be hard for him to accomplish his election promises. As the public starts to know his liberal and socially progressive agenda with little laudable result, his approval rating (especially among conservatives) has gone low alienating many of the voters who supported his election early on.
His ardent supporters like US ex-president Jimmy Carter blames Obama's floundering support on race--- an assertion that many don't believe. If it is because the president is black that is a problem, how come so many Americans gave him overwhelming mandate in his election?
Obama's style of governance is creating more political divisions that make a bipartisan cooperative work difficult. Many observe the president has the tendency to blame problems on others without facing them squarely. His assistants in Washington seem out of touch with the people they serve. In the meantime, some say the president has become scrawny and fast losing weight. =0=
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Economy is worse than what Obama wants the public to believe
When the Bureau of Labor and Statistics released its June 2009 joblessness rate, the number ballooned to 467,000, putting a total 7.2 million out of work since the onset of the recession. The unemployment rate had reached 9.5%, the highest in 26 years. It was the largest job contraction in a 6 month period since the 1940’s.
With lack of public confidence, the meltdown drags--- the huge job loss equaled the job gain in the last 9 years. As a consequence, U.S. Federal Reserve officials revised their unemployment forecast to top 10 percent, above the 9.6 percent that was previously predicted. Economists and financial analysts foresee the unemployment rate to rise between 9.8 and 10.1 percent in 2009.
States Above 10% Joblessness Rate:
Alabama,
California,
Florida,
Georgia,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Louisiana,
Michigan
Nevada,
North Carolina,
Ohio, Oregon,
Rhode Island,
South Carolina
Tennessee.
"Most Fed policymakers said it could take "five or six years" for the economy and the labor market to get back on a path of long-term health. To get there, consumers must return to a regular spending groove and housing prices need to start rising again."---AP (07/17/09, Aversa, J.)
According to Mortimer Zuckerman of the US News (07/15/09,) the June data include 185,000 people who are presumed to have work, but in reality, may be jobless. Not part of the unemployment list are the unpaid leaves that have become commonplace. The work-hours in many industries have dropped and fulltime jobs for workers are being converted to part time.
About 1.4 million people are available to work within the last 12 months, but they have not been looking for employment. The average duration of joblessness in this recession has lengthened to 24.5 weeks and the average pay of workers remained at $18.53 per hour. About 223,000 positions in the production sector have been lost, creating a dismal picture for labor.
Obviously, Obama’s good intentions did not translate into success. Instead, more whispers of difficult times spook Americans who could just wait and see how the administration churn the business climate to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
With Obama’s falling popularity and shortening of public patience, a second stimulus program is in the horizon, furthering the alarming big borrowing and spending of the government. The budget deficit has skyrocketted. Just as before, financial planners and legislators in Capitol Hill have little accountability. As doubt mounts and money flows into uncertain hands, it’s the American people who are caught between the stone and a rock-hard place. (Photo Credit: Darth Dragon) =0=
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Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s foreign travels questioned
It’s not only how frequent Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo travels abroad that legislators question---but the sheer number of companions in those costly trips. These travels are suspected to be extensions of abuse and corruption.
According to Sen. Francis (Chiz) Escudero, the president went to at least 50 trips local and abroad lasting at least 130 days since 2001. In these travels, there are few benefits that trickle down to the Filipinos except the bloated claims of furthering “business relations, foreign investments, jobs for Filipinos, enhanced tourism, greater foreign economic assistance and other unspecified benefits.”
Imagine:
“In September 2004, the President turned a state visit to China into a family vacation with members of her family joining the delegation. The entourage also included 41 complementary staff from the Presidential Security Group and the Office of the Press Secretary as well as crews of state-owned broadcast stations, he said.
In December 2007, a contingent of close to 200 people that included more than 30 lawmakers joined President Arroyo in her trip to France, Spain and the United Kingdom.
In her latest overseas trip, the senator observed that Mrs. Arroyo is practically circumnavigating the world in just eight days in her latest overseas trip.
“President Arroyo’s on-going Manila-Tokyo-Los Angeles-Cartagena-Recife-Rio-Dubai-Hong Kong-Manila voyage is practically a circumnavigation of the globe. And she will be doing all of these in just eight days, Escudero said. ” Daily Tribune (O6/25/09, Rosales, A. M.)
Filipinos are known to pride themselves of their stints abroad---especially if they are paid for by taxpayer’s money and for reasons that are flimsy. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo is no exception. She tags along friends and relatives no different than the ways of Imelda Marcos.
Many are wondering what hidden reasons the president of the Philippines has for leaving the country so often. It’s just right to investigate so the Filipinos will know.
Arroyo brings along many companions very characteristic of a politician who uses money of the government. She easily decides to make side-trips jacking up expenses that can better pay for budgets in underfunded public schools, hospitals, penitentiary, and orphanages back home.
For all the justifications the Arroyo administration gives, the stark reality is the government hardly can afford the waste and thus must cut down on these questionable trips. (Photo Credit: OustGloria) =0=
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COA reports of discrepancies in the 2007 AFP expenses
“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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Senate wants to probe the misuse of P46 million in the 2007 RP-US Balikatan exercises
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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US jobless rate slows, but still high at 8.9%
Banking on hope that USA is on its way to economic recovery, the Obama administration takes consolation in having less than the expected joblessness for the month of April. The US Labor Department reveals that unemployment rate last month has risen to 8.9%, the highest ever since 1983.
Many of the jobs filled are vacancies in the government bureaucracy and less from employment generated by the private sector. This is in spite of the bail-outs given to shore up the ailing financial health of big businesses. The companies which asked for help from the US government have hardly been rehabilitated.
"This was another bad report. There was a significant deterioration in the labor market again. The job loss is large, it is widespread, it is affecting every industry sector and every demographic group," Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics," Keith Hall said.---Voice of America News.com (08/09/09, Tate, D)
The data showed 539,000 jobs were lost in April, bringing the total number of unemployed to 13.7 million, up from 13.2 million in March. The half a million job loss was lower than what economic experts earlier predicted. It was unclear why the worrisome employment recond didn’t dampen Wall Street which ended in a positive territory as the week ended.
Americans are soberly waiting for the Obama "magic" to take effect. It's too early to say whether the US economy is on the road to recovery. The huge bail-out money infused into the financial market can't be a guarantee. Americans have learned a hard lesson from the reckless spending prior to the recession. Basically, the ordinary US citizen is on his own, just hoping that those who manage the economy of the country will come out doing the right thing. (Photo Credit: Ben Heine) =0=
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EU will closely watch how RP uses foreign aid
Most likely because of the unchecked corruption of countries like the Philippines that the European Union (EU) decided to closely watch how aid money is used by recipient countries. Those who would be uncooperative run the risk of losing their financial aid.
“It is necessary to have clarity on what the government will do with the funds. We are now in the process of restructuring our aid. We want to make it visible and transparent and see for what purpose was it used.”----said Koos Richelle, European Commission’s Director General of the EuropeAid Cooperation Office. Daily Tribune (04/22/09, Del Callar MP)
The European Union including other big donors for development like the US, Australia, and Japan are concerned and want to know if their help to poor countries like the Philippines benefit the intended recipients. They are demanding for tangible results.
The administration of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo is looked upon by the Filipinos as the most corrupt. Early this year, World Bank (WB) disclosed the bid-rigging which occurs in its road projects. The revelation has blacklisted three Filipino and four Chinese companies involved in the anomaly which implicated Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of the president. (Photo Credit: Mikey G Ottawa)
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Who bears the shame in the senate investigation of WB corruption scandal?
If it is true that World Bank (WB) has no proof against Jose Miguel Arroyo (husband of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo) and others implicated in the rigging of WB-funded projects what next should the senate do? With the charges of corruption coming from no less than a foreign lending institution (whose reputation is undoubtedly better than the Philippine government,) Sen. Miriam D, Santiago must listen to what WB is trying to say: “If there is smoke, then there could be fire.”
Why then doesn’t she---the Senate Economic Affairs Committee chairman ascertain if the house is indeed on fire? Is Santiago trying to hide something? A known ally of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo, is she trying to protect someone under her wings---perhaps Jose Miguel?
Instead of waging a “diplomatic protest,” an investigation is more productive to do. Besides, what is the country protesting for? The WB has already given away a favor. Aren’t the solons ashamed of being defensive? Instead of being shooting down the bad news, it’s more productive to ascertain the charges. There is no valid justification for a cover-up, a low-road exercise in dealing with this common problem.
The gutsy lady senator who is supposedly sane must not waste time. Her insistence that there is no evidence in the WB report (without investigating) distracts people from the vital issues of the controversy. As a government official, Miriam must be truthful. She must take the initiative of purging the country from corrupt practices---something which is doable if she follows the leads WB has so far disclosed.
Based on the bank report, it’s now the turn of the government to investigate and get to the bottom of the case. If the WB doesn’t have the evidence, this is the right time to seek and find. The public must not be misled into thinking that the rigging of contracts has not happened. It's not at good idea to perpetuate the cynicism of the Filipinos, harass the WB, and pretend the country doesn't need a lender.
Miriam has to do more digging. Whether there is corruption or not, the burden of proof lies in her turf. As chairman of the inquiry, she needs to bring the investigation to a credible conclusion to convince the world who is telling the truth, thereby freeing innocent people of the stigma of dishonesty.
Santiago’s high-handed display of power looks amateurish and blasé. It’s embarrassing the self-absorbed senator and her admirers wring the arms of foreign bank officials who care less if Filipinos are corrupt. She persistently waves around her intelligence---an ego-trip, a deluded peacock awareness of self, a condescending habit of demeaning people in public which are all counterproductive. To illustrate, here is her comments on Sen. Panfilo Lacson who correctly points out the lack of focus on the investigation:
“Di naman siya abugado, gusto niyang turuan ako. Di magandang ugali ‘yung tuturuan mo ang chairperson mo sa gagawin, lalo na kung wala ka namang background sa batas [He’s not even a lawyer and yet he wants to outsmart me. He’s not supposed to dictate to his chairperson on what to do, especially because he does not even have any background in law],” Santiago said.---GMANewsTV.net (02/15/09, Dedace, S)
Obviously, it’s the whole town’s interest that Miriam’s bloated sense of erudition simmers below the fight against corruption. Regardless of the cost and the damage on the people involved, she must work (in spite of her misgivings for not being admitted in the International Court of Justice) to banish any suggestion of bias and defensiveness. Without this, shame on us Filipinos will continue to mount. =0=
RELATED BLOG: "World Bank opens a can of worms & Sen. Miriam D. Santiago investigates" Posted by mesiamd at 2/13/2009
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World Bank opens a can of worms & Sen. Miriam D. Santiago investigates
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is hotly agitated by the World Bank (WB) scandal. The corruption charges by the international lending body implicate Jose Miguel Arroyo, the palace's “first gentleman” and husband of Pres. Gloria Arroyo. The accusations of unlawful transactions inflame the pompous side of the flighty woman-senator who acts like a straight and unbending arrow. Santiago has displayed irritation over the non-appearance of WB representative Bert Hofman in the January 27, 2008 senate hearing in which he is expected to clarify the allegations against government officials, influence peddlers, and road contractors. With the characteristic loquacious bravado that the lady-lawmaker is known for, Santiago blared:
““Mr. Hofman must come here in person or else we will cite him for contempt. Let this cause trouble (between the WB and the Senate) that would even lead to the Supreme Court or even the International Court of Justice. This is good because we will be able to test who between the World Bank and the Filipinos are the kings here.” ----Philstar (02/13/09, Calica, A)
Sen. Santiago’s incendiary words don’t fail to befuddle observers who think her thunderous tirades are nothing but another episode of “entertainment” in the corruption-riddled government. She effectively distracts the public from the sordid corruption charge in the WB-funded projects which has been "institutionalized" for at least a decade. While she seems urgently intent to pursue truth and punish wrong-doers in her ranks, many believe all the fury will die down before anyone will ever be proven accountable. She focuses wrongly on the messenger of bad news---the WB, instead of the rapacious perpetrators of the crime.
From whichever angle people look at the Santiago, her demeanor is a source of both pride and dishonor. She poses as a feisty defender of truth ready to uphold the dignity of the nation, something rarely seen in the slow-mo senate. But there are those who question her truthfulness and motive. From past experience, it is unlikely her noisy declarations will ever amount to anything beyond the exercise of words. At a time when the world suspects how deeply the country is mired in dishonesty, Santiago won’t probably go farther than mere investigations.
Even as the controversy goes on, Finance secretary Margarito Teves is already banking on the WB to increase its lending to the Philippines to a tune of $1 billion for the next few years. Keeping a warlike stance (instead of being conciliatory) is distracting. Sen. Santiago brushes aside the reality that the foreign bank isn’t obligated to humor the Philippines so that it can enjoy the “honor” of granting loans to the country. As a government official representing the country, there are those who think she is rude and crude---a loose cannon who blames the foreign bank for its "incomplete" disclosure, effectively deflecting the issue from the real crime.
It is said the leads pointing to fraud in the WB-financed project biddings have been passed on to Filipino authorities as early as 2007, but it’s only now (after the lid of corruption was blown open) that they see the urgency of investigating. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has been criticized and threatened with dismissal for negligently sitting on the case.
The World Bank has already provided vital information to work on. Many wonder the aptness of the senate demanding more information from the foreign entity without the Philippines taking exhaustive effort to gather truth from its own backyard. As if to lamely cover up for glaring shortcomings and the embarrassments which go with incompetence and hypocrisy, Santiago’s blistering words have been set into play for the public to guess and digest. (Photo Credit: Neofinoy.info; ButchokoyD; Arenamontanus) =0=
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“Mental stress” as a cause of non-appearance in court
It’s the medical judgment of Dr. Antonio Sibulo that Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of Pres. Gloria Arroyo is unfit to appear in the inquiry regarding the collusion of government officials in rigging the contracts of World Bank-funded projects. It's hard to know where the truth lies in Dr. Sibulo's decision. “Mental stress” can adversely affect the course of an illness, but it’s difficult to ascertain how it influences Mr. Arroyo. After undergoing aortic aneurysm operation in April 2007, he seems in no immediate danger if he testifies in the senate. With nothing said in the contrary, in all likelihood his surgery has healed.
Many assume Arroyo keeps proper medications which make him function proximate to a normal human being. His health hasn’t been an issue until lately when he is summoned to shed light to his alleged involvement in the WB anomaly.
Mr. Arroyo’s local and international travels are just as “stressful” as playing golf or watching Manny Pacquaio fight in a boxing match in Las Vegas. As far as the public knows, the doctors haven’t advised the controversial palace gentleman against such ”stressful” situations.
How can clarifying a scandal in public be so taxing if the man is innocent and has nothing to do with the case? Dr. Sibulo has this worry: “the mere sight by a patient of an ‘unlikeable’ person can increase stress. ‘What worries me as I see it in TV, temper and emotions run high and it takes a long time for such a hearing.’ ”----GMATV.news (02/12/09, Dedace, S)
There is a pattern that Filipinos see when suspected felons are called upon to testify on public crimes. This is particularly true with cases of national importance which have made the people cynical and incredulous.
The public has seen it in Jocelyn Bolante, a US deportee, who spent weeks in St. Lukes Hospital for “urgent” medical tests which delayed his testimony on the multimillion peso fertilizer scam that rocked the country. As observers rightfully believed, the hullabaloo in Bolante’s medical tests came out negative. Why can't the senate keep a clinic, a team of doctors, and an ambulance to take care of medical emergencies if they happen?
Yolanda Ricafort, the infamous bagwoman of Pres. Joseph Estrada appeared in an inquiry on a wheelchair with a nurse ostensibly waiving a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer to guard her patient’s hypertension. After her dubious testimony, Ricafort escaped to the United States to avoid further questions regarding Estrada’s misuse and plunder of government money. How can Filipinos counter the rampant use of health problems as cover to impede the conduct of investigations?
The exploitation of health issues as props in criminal investigations was also evident in Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia who chose to stay in UST Hospital for extended in house treatment. At the end of the round-about investigation, Garcia was found guilty and later court-martialed for theft and money laundering of funds of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) which brought disgrace to the whole nation.
With the glaring examples above, how can the public readily believe Dr. Sibulo? If mental stress will be used as basis for non-appearance in an all investigations, it is likely all attempts to find truth won’t prosper because everyone’s health is at risk---all because of “mental stress.”
Mr. Arroyo has a long list of corruption charges---all of which remain unproven because of many reasons: lack of witnesses, judicial sluggishness, “insurmountable” medical conditions among others. It’s time that Arroyo comes out clean and show his courage to rescue the entire nation from international embarrassment of corruption. There must be a way, with Dr. Sibulo’s help, to make him testify so that he’ll not be perceived as guilty or be accused of malingering and cowardice. (Photo Credit: ButchokoyD) =0=
RELATED BLOGS: "Corruption and apathy: where will these lead us?" Posted by mesiamd at 2/10/2009; "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "Hospital: a vacation house or a sanctuary for malingerers?" Posted by mesiamd at 10/29/2008.
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Corruption and apathy: where will these lead us?
We face foreign aid cuts due to corruption. It is shameful that our country which seeks assistance abroad is being singled out as unworthy of help because we are dishonest. Obviously, this is morally and economically damaging. Foreigners are saying untrustworthiness will hurt us in the end. It's time we heed the criticisms and do corrective action.“The Philippines is facing a big cut in foreign aid because corruption in government is “deeply entrenched” and the World Bank report is “worrying” a big donor country, a diplomat disclosed yesterday.
The diplomat from the major donor country, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said their government is closely following the WB report and the investigation into the anomalous road projects funded by the foreign financial institution and the extent of government corruption that has identified First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo as the alleged patron of colluding contractors in a $33-million road project in 2003. “----Philstar (02/10/09, Lee-Brago, P)
Corruption is getting worse. Our leadership is in crisis. Right at the heart where Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo weaves power, allegations of corruption in her administration are common. Even members of her household have been repeatedly accused of dishonesty in government. The charges are too many---and too embarrassing that even foreign observers are stunned.
Though most of us acknowledge that there is worsening corruption, almost no one is ready to face it with candor, righteousness, and accountability. Instead, there is damning apathy and lack of concern.
Those who are guilty dodge the issue by denying the accusations. Most of them who are influential keep a blind eye and take advantage of the weakness of the legal system. Most corruption charges remain unproven in spite of investigations with telling evidence. There is little effort to ferret out the truth and bring the guilty accountable. This is bad to the future of the nation and the next generation. (Photo Credit: gmaresign; zero+q) =0=
RELATED BLOGS:“Not as a lecturer or as a judge,” EU thinks RP must do more to curb corruption Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009
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In spite of a collapsing financial world, $18.4 billion were spent for greedy bonuses in Wall Street
If there is consolation to American taxpayers damaged by the economic meltdown, Pres. Barack Obama criticized billions of astounding spending. He decried as "shameful" and "irresponsible" the $18.4 billion bonuses distributed during the past year for workers in Wall Street. Yes! In spite of a 44% cut on yearend perks given to the money merchants, the amount clearly shows the extravagance and greed of the people who are partly to blame for the financial crisis. A staggering $18.4 billion was spent as giveaways in spite of the $700 billion bail-out they asked and handed over by the government because of a crumbling economy.
This news doesn’t help the effort to bring back trust in the system. The disclosure speaks of top officials still engaged in reckless spending, some using large amounts of money in the shadows to continue their vice.
Amidst joblessness, home sales slump, and poor stock performance, Obama is facing the challenge of making the public believe. Congress has just approved the $825 billion “stimulus package” which is basically another big spending to mitigate the damaging effects of the financial mess. More enraged Americans fear that unless transparency and ethical practice in business is restored, there is little reason to hope that confidence will come back and the economy will be fixed in due time. (Photo Credits: Epicharmus x 2)=0=
“Not as a lecturer or as a judge,” EU thinks RP must do more to curb corruption
Many huge corruption charges in the Philippines involve officials in the highest corridors of power, but almost all of them remain as accusations displayed like dirty laundry for the public to bear. At the cost of the country’s credibility, almost no one gets punished. The entire nation keeps a blind eye of the growing list of scandals whose outcomes are often tip in favor of the crime doers.
For a long time, corruption comes like a foul odor ignored by the government and its citizens. The stench is allowed to stay, follow its course, until it dissipates in the wind. That’s the usual course that has incrementally robbed the country of its shame and dignity. The public is tired, perhaps, about to give up on corruption---for even with laws in place, there is little accountability. There is almost no public outcry of protest.
Illegal deals and criminal transactions occur right on the face of a Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo. Circumventing the law is common, perpetrated by criminals in broad daylight without embarrassment. The hideousness of the corrupt practices has prompted foreign entities like the World Bank (WB) and European Union (EU) to sound their alarm; they point to government deals that smell too stinky to brush aside. The latest is the WB disclosure of fraud in its bank-financed projects.
The president’s husband Jose M. Arroyo, just like in the past, has been linked to greedy collusion schemes. The latest is with the E.C. De Luna Construction Corp, one of the contractors named by the World Bank for rigging the bidding process of road projects funded by foreign money. Officials of the foreign bank are dismayed by the scale of corruption that is traced way back in 2007.
Careful not to rub the sense of shame of Filipinos, WB’s corruption charges which point the complicity of Chinese partners, suggest that the international community can’t just watch the dirty way the government is run. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo continues to play the charade for the nation.
The EU also sounded its concern by offering the Philippines help to fight corruption. Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the European Commission said in a Commission of Human Rights meeting in Manila that the EU “sees corruption as a symptom of poor governance and lack of transparent, accountable management, and control system. ---Philstar (10/28/09, Clapano, JR)
There it is. MacDonald is right in saying that officials, the civil society and media must work together to fight corruption in government by observing “transparent electoral processes and supporting parliamentary and judicial oversight.” The country can’t live with perversion of integrity that is out in the open and politicalized for everyone to see, but can’t do something against it.
Even if the outside world wants to help the Philippines solve corruption, it is still the people who must first reject and work against it. There is no shortage of anti-corruption laws. They are just waiting to be enforced, not by officials who are themselves corrupt, but by those who are committed to move the country ahead.
The fight against corruption needs ethical leaders to help government officials and business leaders reform their ranks. They need moral rejuvenation and accountability which must be taught and applied in the community. With the nation’s fate at stake, there is deep shame when foreigners remind Filipinos of their freedom, duty for country, and moral responsibilities. (Photo Credits: Almostevil665; wdbphoto) =0=
RELATED BLOG: "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "On Philippine Corruption And Our Being Inure To It" Posted by myty555 at 12/16/2008
Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo
“The 2006 World Competitiveness Survey by the Switzerland-based Institute for Management Development ranked the Philippines 60th on bribery and corruption among 61 countries surveyed. In the 2007 report of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, using a grading system with 10 as the worst possible score, the Philippines got 9.4, worsening sharply from its grade of 7.8 in 2006.
The problem of corruption in the Philippines is getting worse, and it appears that it is not just a problem of perception but an actuality. The corruption cases are increasing not only in number but in the amount of money involved. In the past, the big cases involved tens of millions of pesos; now, the figures run into hundreds of millions and even billions.” ----Inquirer (06/30/08, Editorial, Worsening Corruption)
1. Filipino & Chinese bid-rigging cartel in bank-financed projects exposed by World Bank
2. Jocelyn (JocJoc) Bolante’s P728 Million Fertilizer Fund Scam diverting agricultural funds for the 2004 election campaign of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo
3. $329 Million Philippine National Broadband Network-Zhong Xing Telecommunications Deal (NBN/ZTE mess)
4. The $2-million IMPSA (Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima) alleged bribery case involving Justice secretary Hernando Perez to rehabilitate the 750-megawatt Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) power complex in Laguna.
5. The allegedly overpriced P1.2-billion Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard Construction
6. Commission on Elections’ P1.3-billion poll computerization program
7. Pres. Joseph Estrada Plunder Conviction and the Controversial Hasty Pardon
8. “Hello Garci” alleged Election fraud of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo
9. Unexplained Wealth of Government and Military Officials---some of them take tasks of "investigating" corruption
10. Money Laundering Schemes like the “Euro Generals Scandal”
11. Maj. General Carlos Garcia's amassed P143 million wealth in AFP
12. The P500,000 cash-gift distribution (bribe?)in Malacanang Palace in 2007
13. Tax Evasion, Special Purpose Funds & Public Procurement Anomalies
14. Killings, tortures, and disappearances of journalists, plain citizens, and perceived enemies of government
We probably know the brazenness of corruption to a point of surrender. So we either ignore them or we shield ourselves from truth by pretending wrong-doing and perversion will go away. We have our own psychological adaptations that work for sometime just the way we're tempted to run away from moral rectitude and brush aside responsibility.
The brave among us however face reality as it comes. No matter how hard and hurting, we understand the need to correct our errors. We know life is a succession of battles where courage, tenacity, and optimism are required and apathy has no place. We need integrity as a hedge against fraud; honesty is a positive force to renew society. Consider the corruption in the world. What can we do about it? (Photo Credit: Zero Q)=0=
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Cory’s EDSA II apology opens controversies & distrust among Filipinos
Calling the EDSA II revolution a mistake, Corazon (Cory) Aquino, one of the leaders of the movement which ousted former Pres. Joseph (Erap) Estrada from power has brought the nation into new controversies. The sudden confession of the ailing former president opened wounds--- sowing confusion among doubting Filipinos who bewailed the endemic poor leadership in the national government.
Rather than bridging the often-repeated "reconciliation” among warring political parties, the demure housewife and former chief executive unwittingly exposed the short-sightedness and immaturity of leaders who stood as huge obstacles to the progress of the country. There were those who surmised if cancer and treatment had put her on tremendous strain; her ability to think sanely as before might have taken a beating.
As a devout practitioner of Catholicism, the former president who’s trying to define her legacy as an infuential public servant may have scored high on matters of faith, but she has placed the people in a void of uncertainty whose damage is too early to quantify. The effects are likely to cause lasting shockwaves on how politics will be played in government affairs like the next presidential election. They will cut across the way people will view what is morally right and wrong as they rule over the scandals that see no end.
By seeking Estrada’s forgiveness, Cory repudiated the collective action of her party and those who pushed for an end of blatant thievery, corruption and ineptness during and after Estrada’s administration. The damning evidence of incompetence and plunder laid bare during the 6 years of trial reduced the public to docility and silent acquiescence---- a treacherous problem of Filipinos no wanted to touch.
Like a modern-day soap opera, Estrada’s dizzying legal battle and his privileged imprisonment shown in TVs, radios, and newspapers ended in a conviction hailed by the people. But it was quickly reversed by Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo (GMA)--- herself, a sore symbol of almost all things that had gone wrong with the country. Many believed GMA, the current prexy with an outrageously low approval rating of negative (-30) cleverly pardoned Estrada for political convenience. It was unclear though whether Cory's apology to Estrada was linked to her frustraion over GMA's mishandling the government. Cory called on her to resign amidst uncurbed corruption as the wagons of Estrada's political come-back had rolled in from the first station. Because of Cory’s change of heart, there are deepening doubts on whether Filipino leaders are up for the job of steering the country to better times. In spite of the early justifications and defense for the widow of Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino, her position strengthens the chance of the come-back of the Estrada and his "weather-weather" gang. The Filipinos are left in an impasse: Wala na ba talagang ibang mga magagaling at matitino?
The demoralizing effect of Cory’s declaration puts the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) leadership, a staunch supporter of EDSA II on the defensive. It revives anew the questions on church-state separation and the constitutionality of the power take-overs which left a serious lingering leadership vacuum in all political fronts. Most of all, it irreparably damaged the Cory brand of uprightness and wisdom she shared with her martyred husband Ninoy Aquino, leaving Filipinos one less of a person to trust and emulate. (Photo Credits: Joe Galvez; Marcial Pontillas21; Marcial Pontillas21; gmaresign; Marcial Pontillas21; Marcial Pontillas21)=0=
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90% of RP crimes are solved in less than 1 year: a lie that can make you cry?
When I read that Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Jesus Versoza on Thursday announced that about 90% of crimes in the country had been solved in less than year, I thought it was a typo error. But I made sure I was not reading it wrong.
“In a press conference after a closed door command conference with key PNP officials, Verzosa said that of the 62,148 crime incidents reported in 11 months, 89.43 percent have been solved."----Inquirer, (12/17/08, Kwok, A)
I was convinced that this is inconsistent to the crime profile of the country that I know. What does “solving a crime” mean to the PNP director? What are the “crime incidents” is he referring to? In my book solving a crime means investigating a case, recognizing the criminal, ascertaining his complicity, bringing him to court, having him serve jail time if guilty, and rehabilitating him to be a responsible citizen before he is released from jail. The process definitely takes longer than a year.
The PNP director is probably lying. I couldn’t comprehend how a top government official has that gall to misinform the public at the expense of himself, the military, and the country. The motto of the police is service, honor and justice. Is he the corruption that has run wild in the military service?
HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES IN THE PHILIPPINES
One can discern the hard reality from personal experience or by doing a little reading. Many crimes go unreported. I know there are many journalists being killed without resolution of their cases. They are part of a large group of crime victims that range from a gamut of circumstances---from simple robbery to mass murder. The US State Department report on the human rights record of the Philippines in 2006, had the following was reported:
“During the year there were a number of arbitrary, unlawful, and extrajudicial killings apparently by elements of the security services and of political killings, including killings of journalists, by a variety of actors. Many of these killings went unsolved and unpunished, contributing to a climate of impunity, despite intensified government efforts during the year to investigate and prosecute these cases.
Members of the security services committed acts of physical and psychological abuse on suspects and detainees, and there were instances of torture. Arbitrary or warrantless arrests and detentions were common. Trials were delayed and procedures were prolonged. Prisoners awaiting trial and those already convicted were often held under primitive conditions.
Corruption was a problem in all the institutions making up the criminal justice system, including police, prosecutorial, and judicial organs. During a brief "state of emergency" in February, there was some attempted interference in freedom of the press and in the right of assembly.
In addition to the killings mentioned above, leftwing and human rights activists were often subject to harassment by local security forces. Problems such as violence against women and abuse of children, child prostitution, trafficking in persons, child labor, and ineffective enforcement of worker rights were common." --- www.state.gov/ (US State Department) Philippines: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices-2006 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (03/06/07)
77% OF PRISONERS ARE VICTIMS OF JUDICIAL ERRORThe report about prisoners in the Philippines is telling. Raymond Narag, a law student served 7 years in detention for murder which he never committed. He later worked as consultant on prison reform in the Philippine Supreme Court (SC.) According to him, 3 out of 4 prisoners (77%) in the Philippines are victims of judicial error. The average pre-sentencing detention is 3.2 years. Jailbirds are forced to plead guilty to escape hardships in detention in favor of being in the National Penitentiary where the conditions are better.
"Inmates are dying in our city jails at an alarming rate. They are suffering from boils, tuberculosis, chicken pox and other simple but highly communicable diseases. In the Quezon City Jail alone, there are two to five deaths per month. The sad fact is that they are dying before being sentenced." ---Raymond Narag
Quezon City Jail was built for only 815 detainees. Now, it houses about 3,400 inmates. This means that each prisoner has 0.28 sq2 m of living space which is way below the 3 sq2 m per person the United Nations considers the minimum standard for the treatment of prisoners." ---PIME; www.asia.news.it (10/22/04, Evangelista, S)
PERSONAL EXPERIENCEI have no reason to believe that the data above have drastically changed for the better this year. I haven't heard of any evidence to the contrary. Instead, I recall my dead brother Henry who died from vehicular injuries without retribution on those who sold fake drugs that caused his demise. He was left in Naga City jail for hours without medical attention on a wrong assumption that his stupor was due to drunkenness, not from the brain damage from his injury. At least one doctor in Bicol Medical Center was complicit in peddling the counterfeit medicine.
I remember my friend’s mom, a widow who was stabbed by a robber while walking home after a day’s work in a Quezon City bakery. The sole witness of her slay was himself a victim of unsolved political disappearance, a case unrelated to the murder. My first cousin Orly was killed in a traffic accident in Manila by a hit-and-run driver. No one went to jail for these crimes. They were among at least 10 people I knew who died; their cases remained cold for more than a decade. I don’t know of a single heinous crime in the Philippines that had been solved. So can you see why I don’t believe General Versoza? How about you?(Photo Credits: www.bardu.net; ronaldhackson; www.bardu.net; planetradio; planetradio; ace_kupal)
RELATED BLOGS: "Journalist killings continue" Posted by mesiamd at 12/09/08; " Another gruesome journalist’s slay" Posted by mesiamd at 11/17/2008; "When they start telling us we're unworthy of help" Posted by mesiamd at 12/16/2008; " On Philippine Corruption And Our Being Inure To It" Posted by myty555 at 12/16/2008; "Rising Road Accidents" Posted by mesiamd at 10/27/2008
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When they start telling us we're unworthy of help
When foreign entities tell us that we can’t have assistance because we are corrupt, don’t we feel red on the face? Don’t we experience goose-bumps to be told that we’re untrustworthy? Don’t we feel like immature juveniles when others tell us we need a course program in honesty? As a nation, is there "delicadeza" left in our bones?
I don’t know how to react on the US Millenium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) decision to scrap our anti-poverty aid. Help is available from the corporation, but it’s our worthiness--- the apparent corruption that bars the way. As a result, the suffering poor, the object of humanitarian assistance, are bound to miss the financial booty.
I’m stunned how easily we take trustworthiness for granted. The country got failing grades in the control of corruption (47%,) health expenditures (19%,) and primary education (32%) for FY2009. Across the board, the exceedingly low grades reflect total failure in all fronts. I would not be surprised if our leaders will just shrug them off just like before. It's something the public knows all along.
Indonesia, Columbia, Zambia, places with corruption problems like ours fare better than us. Our country consistently scores lower than the median in at least 14 of 17 criteria considered in determining assistance. We aren't qualified and it is the people outside who tell us.
“To be eligible for US help, developing countries must show their commitment to policies that promote political and economic freedom, investments in education and health, control of corruption, and respect for civil liberties and the rule of law by performing well on 17 different policy indicators.
The board called upon the government of the Philippines to intensify its efforts to fight corruption and will closely monitor the country’s performance,” said Ambassador John Danilovich, MCC chief executive officer.”---Philstar (12/15/08, Katigbak,J)
The MCC reports corruption control in the Philippines precipitously slid from 76%, 57%, and 47% in 2007, 2008, and 2009 respectively. The dire findings entail urgent measures which we can’t laugh off like kid stuff. It’s the same MCC which gave RP $21 million aid to combat corruption (without success?) in 2006. Aren't we ashamed?
Most of us aren’t ashamed. We are used to corruption. We are too focused with our personal lives. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo and those who support her administration will probably just pretend they are doing something to stop the bane that's eating our society's foundation.
We know we need to act responsibly as individuals now. We can’t rely on the government or our friends to rid us of a problem that is partly our own making. We can’t claim we can’t do anything or pretend that corruption is far from us. Our way of life and the next generation’s future are bound to go down the drain if we don’t act. It’s just a matter of time that things will really look very nasty.
Without honesty, industry, and upright moral values, we will surely bring irreparable ruin to ourselves. The warning signs are out there. What we’re facing is the worst and the most difficult to control. (Photo Credits: Trainman; GmaResign; GmaResign;; GmaResign) =0=
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23 drown in another ferry boat mishap
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The storyline is similar for many ill-fated boats in the Philippines. It’s often a passenger ferry which comes out in a stormy weather then keeling over, causing the deaths of innocent passengers. Disregard of travel advisories, overloading, failure to follow typhoon warnings, inaccurate passenger manifests, and lack of common sense are among the reasons why many of these boats sink.
The tragic tale had been repeated in M/B Mae Jan--- the inter-island vessel which sank on Sunday, December 14, 2008 in Aparri, Cagayan. The ill-fated ferry which killed at least 23 people left port in inclement weather with about 80 passengers. Fifteen (15) were reportedly missing and 43 were rescued alive. Overloading was suspected.
Alex De los Santos of the Ballesteros Police Department named 11 identified fatalities as follows: Amy Arellano, Wilfredo Agatao, Angel Suarez, Kristine Cangas, Eva Llopis, Leonardo Llopis, Ofelia Balmes, Paz Escalante, Karen Fadero, Angela Tabo, Abella Arellano. Their bodies and that of 11 other victims were taken to funeral parlors in Aparri for identification.---Inquirer (12/15/08, Kwok, A)
Last month, on November 6, 2008, nine (9) people drowned with Rolly IV, the passenger vessel which sank in Iloilo. The dangerous maritime record of the Philippines will continue so long as no significant government action is done to curb the recurrent sea mishaps. =0=
UPDATE: December 17, 2008. As of presstime the death toll rose to 45 and 8 individuals are still missing. The boat's owner was reported to be among the dead.
RELATED BLOGS: "RP’s maritime disasters: a harvest of blame and shame" Posted by mesiamd at 11/08/2008; "Ferry boat sinks in Masbate killing 40" Posted by mesiamd at 11/04/2008; "Boat mishap in Iloilo, 9 dead" Posted by mesiamd at 11/06/2008; "The need for witnesses in the Princess of the Stars toxic chemical recovery" Posted by mesiamd at 9/25/2008; "Endosulfan safely retrieved: where are the other toxic chemicals?" Posted by mesiamd at 10/07/2008; "Toxic Cargo" Posted by mesiamd at 6/28/2008; "A Sorry Maritime Safety Record Indeed In The Philippines" posted by myty555 at 11/09/2008
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Premature attrition of confidence
Even before Pres. Elect Barack Obama gets inaugurated on January 20, 2009, there are troubling signs in the horizon. The “Yes we can,” slogan of his campaign during the election seems dampened by the herculean task ahead. His mesmerizing words which don’t synch well with truth have started to show their cracks. From his camp, liberal supporters have started to show impatience.
“Liberals are growing increasingly nervous – and some just flat-out angry – that President-elect Barack Obama seems to be stiffing them on Cabinet jobs and policy choices. Obama has reversed pledges to immediately repeal tax cuts for the wealthy and take on Big Oil. He’s hedged his call for a quick drawdown in Iraq. And he’s stocking his White House with anything but stalwarts of the left. Now some are shedding a reluctance to puncture the liberal euphoria at being rid of President George W. Bush to say, in effect, that the new boss looks like the old boss.”---YahooNews (12/08/08, Lee,C; Henderson, NM)
President George Bush must be smiling with relief. Obama's new administration promises a 2.5 million job generation program which may cost taxpayers 500 billion to finance. To raise optimism, the upcoming president dangles Harvard technocrats to keep his magic in place. But many believe experts can only be as good as the results they can produce.
What the Obama team plans to accomplish is something that the public can’t take bait, hook and sinker. Americans have seen enough of the promises, ineptness, greed, corruption, and extravagance of their leaders. And they know intelligence and smartness aren’t guarantees for success.
This early, liberals from Obama’s party have raised concerns. The messianic black president who has been heavily supported by the partisan media is telling his people that economic hardship is on the way. The financial mess will get worse, he said---a let down on the expectation of the people. It makes his supporters start thinking whether their man is up for the job.
The $700 billion bailout package earlier forged by the government isn’t enough. The beleaguered American auto industry is asking for a rescue package of $36 billion dollars in the wake of more than half a million unemployed have been reported this month. More workers fear that they’ll be laid off from their jobs or they'll lose their homes from forfeitures. Saddled by about $10.7 trillion debts, USA's economic picture isn't pretty. Americans face the worst economic uncertainty since 1974.
Economists Ben Shalom Bernanke and Henry Paulson aren’t sure if what they are doing will work. They are just as confused as the senators and congressmen in Capitol Hill regarding the economy. Their expertise hardly guarantees that things will get better. The heroics they display are dubiously too little too late, after private finances have been ruined.
Americans are nervously watching their investments wear away and go down the drain. The burnished promises they heard during the presidential election frustrate them. They realize consumer confidence isn't easy to keep when things don't do well. Stretching more patience, they need to wait and see what will happen. Uncertainty has started chipping on their trust. Many feel the economy is far from being fixed. (Photo credits: Cody Kiffen; M Dumlao98) =0=.
RELATED BLOGS: "Longer recession blues as more jobs are lost in USA" Posted by mesiamd at 12/05/2008; "Mr. Fix & the tall challenge to keep USA & the world to believe that we can quickly come out of the financial mess" Posted by mesiamd at 11/22/2008; "Like Filipinos, Americans Have Money Troubles Too!" Posted by mesiamd at 7/16/2008.
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Bolante in jail, the “zarzuela” continues
Now that former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn (Joc Joc) Bolante is indefinitely detained for lying in the senate investigation of P728 million fertilizer scandal, Malacanang expresses “sadness” that the suspected criminal might not spend Christmas at home. Palace officials seem more concerned for the slick guy deported from US rather than for the Filipinos adversely affected by the corruption charges.Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo is hoping something “good” comes out of the investigation. Her statement is wimpy. It suggests that Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo's administration isn’t strong in seeking truth and justice in this case. The reason(s) is obvious.
Bolante has been accused of misusing fertilizer money for Pres. Arroyo’s election. Described as “bubbly” in jail, he outwardly takes the charges lightly as the nation is wearied waiting. It’s the kind of behavior that Filipinos usually see among accused government officials who are confident in lying and dismissive of the people’s suffering.
The “bubbly” guy in jail is the same person who tried to seek asylum in the America in a bid to avoid prosecution. Upon arrival from deportation, he ostensibly boarded an ambulance straight to St. Luke’s Medical Center from the airport for a two-week medical check up. As expected, the stay in the hospital suite yielded nothing emergently life-threatening.
If only to uplift the sagging expectation on the course of justice, the senate’s blue ribbon chair Sen. Richard Gordon said,
“Before we ordered the arrest of Mr. Bolante, the members of the Blue Ribbon committee held a caucus and we were all convinced that he had been giving us statements contradictory to the testimonies of resource persons and documents presented.”—Malaya (12/05/08, Lopez, JP)
Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Dagupan was more direct in his opinion about Bolante’s lies. Urging the senators to file perjury cases against Bolante, Archbishop Cruz asserted that “"no big intelligence is needed to know that Bolante is not telling the whole truth about the fertilizer fund scam – not only for his own sake but also to cover up for his Malacañang patron," he said. ---Manila Bulletin (12/05/08, Torregoza, H)
Archbishop Cruz’ opinion is shared by many Filipinos who doubt whether this investigation will end in the full disclosure of the crime and the punishment of the guilty. Exposed to endemic and escalating corruption, the public feebly watch the “zarzuela” as it proceeds in its lazy way. (Photo Credit: AP/Roque,Pat; villi.ingi) =0=
RELATED BLOGS: Bolante’s medical drama continues, but doctors say “telling the truth is therapeutic.” Posted by mesiamd at 11/08/2008;Accused of Plunder, Jocjoc Bolante, Returns from US a Deportee Posted by andygimpaya at 10/29/2008; "Hospital: a vacation house or a sanctuary for malingerers?"Posted by mesiamd at 10/29/2008.
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