Thursday, June 02, 2005 (Philippines)

RTC Judge Fortunato de Gracia Jr. asked in open court Benjamin A. Moraleda Jr. (above, right, and facing judge, inset), a lawyer from Manila who defends the accused in the drug case against alleged Hong Kong Triad member Giovannie “Nanan” Gimenez (seated, left) and two others. Judge de Gracia compared Moraleda to a “rescuing cavalry from Manila” that maligned “openly, casually, and freely” the judge.(Sun.star photo/Amper Campaña) Majority of business owners in the country believe there is a lot of corruption in government, but some 21 percent of them still give bribes to win government contracts. The 2005 Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey of Enterprises on Corruption said “an outright majority of 54 percent say that most or almost all companies in their own line of business practice bribery to win public sector contracts.” There was “no let-up” in this type of bribery, considering what the previous survey figures were: 57 percent from 2002 to 2004; 56 percent in 2001; and 55 percent in 2000. [full story]