SENATOR URGED NOY TO CREATE ANTI-GRAFT COUNCIL TO GO AFTER GRAFTERS
MANILA, FEBRUARY 6, 2011 (STAR) By Christina Mendez - Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano (photo at left) yesterday urged President Aquino to create an anti-graft commission that will go after grafters in government and also investigate corruption cases during the past administration.
In lieu of the Truth Commission, Cayetano said a new anti-graft and corruption council could help the Aquino administration pick up after the bungled investigations on several scandals that rocked the previous administration.
Cayetano said Aquino should take the cue from the testimonies of former state auditor Heidi Mendoza, retired military budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa and Air Force Col. Antonio Ramon Lim.
Cayetano recommended Mendoza and Rodolfo Lozada Jr., the whistleblower in the NBN-ZTE deal, as members of the anti-graft commission.
"They will be able to help you (Aquino) scrutinize corruption in the government," Cayetano said.
Cayetano said Mendoza already felt helpless and betrayed in her struggle to expose corruption in the military.
"She felt alone, she felt that she was not being supported and that her findings have fallen on deaf ears," Cayetano noted.
Cayetano expressed belief that Mendoza will still cooperate in the Senate inquiry even after her emotional outburst the other day.
Cayetano said the Senate should give Mendoza some breathing space to be able to pursue her testimony.
"We need to give Heidi breathing room. I think she means well when she said she wants to say everything. Except that within 48 hours, all her pressures in the last six to seven years were all there," Cayetano said.
He said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee should "reach out" to Mendoza.
Cayetano also stressed the government should take the opportunity and tap the services of Mendoza and Lozada in the fight against corruption.
"We should (ensure) that proper resources, system and office that will let Mendoza and Lozada and whoever this government will get in its anti-graft campaign, that they are supported and that the government means business," he said.
Cayetano also called on the Department of National Defense (DND) to strengthen their probe on the alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
"This will show the men and women in uniform that this government means business. And that the righteous path is for real," he said.
At the same time, Cayetano also called on the Senate to have its own Witness Protection Program to help in its inquiries.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, for his part, said offering Mendoza a position in the administration's anti-graft and corruption campaign is a good move.
"If she can help in the campaign against corruption, Heidi should be given work again in government," he said.
The righteous path
Malacañang said the decision of Mendoza and other witnesses to come out and testify against systematic corruption in the military was borne out of the "matuwid na daan" (righteous path) of President Aquino.
"These people are coming out because there is an administration that is sympathetic and will protect their rights and will protect their safety when it comes to uncovering anomalies in the government," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"Lim came out because he believed in the tuwid na daan of President Aquino. Heidi Mendoza came out also because she believes in the sincerity of this government to wipe out and stamp out graft and corruption," Lacierda said.
He also clarified the recent revelations against systematic corruption in the AFP "did not happen in this (Aquino) administration."
"We are the recipients of all these revelations and let me also remind you, people are coming out," he said.
Mendoza led several witnesses in detailing high level corruption in the military that involved former AFP chiefs in relation to Carlos Garcia, the former comptroller of the AFP.
Garcia was accused of plunder for allegedly acquiring more than P300 million in unexplained wealth when he was AFP comptroller.
The Sandiganbayan allowed Garcia to post bail in a plea bargaining deal with government lawyers, where he pleaded guilty to the lesser crimes of direct bribery and to violation of the anti-money laundering law.
The Senate Blue Ribbon committee is currently investigating the plea bargaining agreement between Garcia and government prosecutors. – With Delon Porcalla
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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