Peace group: Probe Opapp fund mess

OZAMIZ CITY -- A Mindanao-based peace advocacy group has called for an independent probe into allegations of misuse of government funds intended for peace-building activities.

Addressing President-elect Benigno Aquino III, pastor Reu Montecillo, co-chair of the non-government Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC), said civil society must be represented in the composition of a body to investigate supposed graft-tainted financial transactions of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp).

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Montecillo suggested that human rights lawyer and known peace advocate Wigberto Ta±ada head the probe team.

"Graft and corruption is so entrenched in the bureaucracy that only an independent body headed by an untarnished statesman, human rights lawyer and peace advocate like Sen. Tanada, can muster the needed political will to address this perennial and debilitating problem," said Montecillo.

A former senator and congressman, Tanada's name also cropped up as among the popular choices for secretary of justice of the incoming Aquino administration.

In a statement, MPC lauded secretary Annabelle Abaya, head of the Opapp, for "the courageous act of exposing alleged anomalous and corrupt transactions" in the agency.

Abaya revealed about the still unaccounted for funds, amounting to some P170 million, last week.

"The reported P170-million unaccounted funds could just be the tip of the iceberg on the extent of corruption happening within a government institution that is supposed to promote the noble task of peacemaking and peace-building," the MPC decried.

Montecillo hinted of the possibility the reportedly unaccounted funds could have been used for "unauthorized purchases of cars" and "excessive salary bonuses" by Opapp officials allegedly involved in the mess.

These were committed "at the expense of the people whom they are supposed to serve," added Montecillo.

He notes that the money could have jumpstarted sincere efforts at rebuilding the lives of thousands of evacuees in Maguindanao through providing them housing, livelihood support, and medicines.

Montecillo said the funds could also have prevented the deaths of some 263 individuals, many them children, who died at the evacuation centers due to lack of health care.