Tuesday, October 10, 2007 Talk back: Why I am fighting corruption By Cris Saavedra
(THE letter is addressed to Sun.Star editor-in-chief Pachico Seares)
I am respectfully asking to be given a chance to reply to your column last Oct. 2, 2007 titled “Where were you? Cris needed you” and rectify and to correct the impression you gave to the reading public.
Please be informed that the documents will show that we have a case against the respondents and these documents were from the Cebu Provincial Capitol employees.
Attached is our urgent motion dated Aug. 28, 2007 and motion dated Sept. 25, 2007 which is self explanatory.
The Commission on Audit (COA) is presumed to be biased and should inhibit from the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) investigation.
The solid documented evidence we got will show that the case against the respondents is strong.
I know what I am getting into and that definitely I am not nuts.
I have been doing business with government offices for the past 25 years and I do not intend to do business with the respondents because their method is not acceptable and I do not like to be misunderstood that I am involved in questionable transactions.
The purpose of investigating the respondents is to give them a chance to clear their names in the proper forum and to protect the interest of the Cebuanos.
I did not call the respondents corrupt government officials or condemned them but public opinion has forced me to expose their questionable acts.
Public demand and perception say that something is fishy because the respondents refused to submit the expenses of the CICC.
It is a fact that P300 million was saved through my efforts and that nobody else did it and it was done for the good of everybody, including you.
I did not earn even a centavo for this effort.
It is true that I am a Zamboangueño and nobody else is doing what I am doing for the Cebuanos. This should be a challenge for Cebuanos to do the same.
The reason why I complained against anti-corruption groups that are riding on the issue to earn media credits and who are selective in choosing the people they are supporting is because Cebuanos might think I am also fighting corruption to gain media exposure and to make money.
A true and honest campaign against corruption is not selective and does not only serve individual or business concerns but is for the interest of the general public.
I survived without any support from any group or individual and have been successful in my campaign against corruption because I am not dependent of any group or any political backer.
I have to do it or else nobody will do it.
Had Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña been involved in the anomalous transaction, I would never have touched him with a ten foot pole and would not exempt him from the investigation.
I will never transact with questionable government officials for all the money in the world.
Government officials who are honest will gladly want to make business with me knowing that I will not go to jail.
I have gone down to the level of humility by absorbing silently without regrets the personal attacks against me and the danger of reprisals from the respondents.
The media in Cebu is very active against corruption.
However, not all media people are with me, especially those who practice envelope journalism.
