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Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Arroyo to gov't agencies: Showcase 1 graft case every quarter
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday ordered 10 government agencies to come up with one big graft case from each of their agencies every quarter or 40 big graft cases per year.
Arroyo issued the order during the meeting of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) en banc Tuesday. During the meeting, government agencies and private sector groups updated the President on the results of their anti-corruption campaigns.
NAPC secretary general Imelda Nicolas said the 10 agencies are the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Labor Relations Commission, and the education, environment, health, interior, justice, land reform, and public works departments.
The agencies already have "agency-specific" corruption prevention measures.
Nicolas said the update on the anti-corruption programs is the "best birthday gift" they could give the President.
She said Arroyo also stressed that the program "needs to start with the very young."
Education Secretary Florencio Abad said anti-corruption models will be taught in public elementary and high schools nationwide starting June. He said the teachers will be trained in May, and that private schools will also be asked to do the same thing.
Abad assured that books that will be used by the education department have been proofread and corrected of mistakes.
He said the teachers are also encouraged to use characters such as Captain Barbel and Darna to drive home the point easier.
Businesswoman Loida Nicolas-Lewis, head of the Bisyon 20/20 campaign whose goal is zero tolerance for graft by year 2020, said the private sector will solicit for the Philippine Integrity Fund that would enable the Ombudsman to hire the best lawyers, investigators, and accountants in 15 years.
Makati Business Club (MBC) executive director Guillermo Luz said the Sandiganbayan must be expanded because each graft case takes about seven years to resolve. Otherwise, he said there will be no hope for the anti-corruption campaign.
Tempers flared up during the press conference after the NAPC meeting between the private sector leaders and reporters covering the Palace when the issue of the propriety of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo's complimentary stay at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas was raised.
Lewis said getting complimentary accommodations is "common occurrence" in situations where an organization's patronization of a certain hotel has reached higher levels.
Noemi Saludo, former president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said it is a natural thing in Las Vegas, which is a city of gambling.
Lewis chided the media for raising the issue, which she said is not appropriate. She said the First Gentleman is not a government official and that "isinasama nyo ang hindi dapat isama (you're including someone who should not be included)."
The comments raised the hackles of reporters, especially since the executive director of Bisyon 20/20 asked them to be "cooperative." Some reporters reminded the private sector leaders that they were only asking if the First Gentleman's action, in their opinion, is morally right and that they should not be defensive.
Luz tried to calm things down by saying that the public wants to see certain limits on gift giving in the case of government officials and their relatives. He said, "it might not be appropriate to accept" such a gift.
Also, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission chair Constancia de Guzman said government still cannot reveal the names of the five officials--two each from the BIR and BOC and one from the DPWH--whose properties would be subjected to forfeiture proceedings due to alleged unexplained wealth.
De Guzman said the suspects must be spared from stigma in case the investigation shows that they are innocent. (JMR)
(April 6, 2005 issue)
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