The Filipino people should continue to support the on-going Congressional hearings to unearth the truth about corruption in the military. What began as a hearing on the plea bargaining agreement of Garcia has mushroomed into an expansive hearing on corruption in the military. In the height of these hearings, a former chief of the AFP, Angelo Reyes, who's possible involvement in the "pabaon" system in the military as exposed by a former employee in the comptroller's office of the AFP, was being unearthed by the Blue Ribbon commitee of the Senate, committed suicide in a cemetery where his mother is buried.
There must be serious repercussions on the testimony of Rabusa, the star witness presented by Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Why would this suicide occur except as an offshoot of the stress and the pressure brought about by the investigation on possible involvement of high-ranking military officers in the AFP in the misuse of funds for the military? The best step that every one should take in the light of this event is to slow down for about a week and then push through afterwards so that there will be a closure and the institution of the AFP will be protected and restored. Also, calls to abolish the PMA as an offshoot of this investigation should be shelved as it is counterproductive to abolish a military school that has produced able individuals who are leaders in peace time and in the battlefields to protect the country from security threats foreign and domestic.
The Filipino people should stand behind its Senators and Congressmen who are trying to find out the truth behind the mess in the military so that they will come up with needed legislations to reform the AFP and protect it as a well respected institution in Philippine society. The whistleblowers who continue to stand their ground despite "demolition jobs" of people who stand to lose in the investigation, should be supported by the entire Filipino people since these few individuals are the only links of the country to unearthing the truth about the misuse of public funds in the military.
As the saying goes, the truth will set us free.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
How to Confront Rising Crime Rate
The Philippine National Police and the Aquino government for that matter are right now more than busy fighting the surging criminality in the country. The rising crime rate has definitely affected the peace and order situation and gives the impression that it is not safe to live in the Philippines. Despite the emphasis that the government has put on attracting tourists into the country, the daily surge of all sorts of crime against lives and property will dampen this effort and might eventually bankrupt the tourism industry in the country.
The government should now focus its effort in devising a plan or plans to reduce the crime rate. The proliferation of loose firearms is one major hurdle that the PNP must overcome in order to eradicate the incidents of killings and robberies connected with the use of powerful weapons. Also, the fortress that is built around private armies in the regions must be leveled by the national police so that these private armies can be disarmed and neutralized. Gun licenses must be restrictive and should only be issued to private individuals based on the extreme needs for protection and security. Rampant issuance of gun licenses without checking on the applications should be stopped and discouraged.
CCTV cameras should be a requirement on businesses, banks, shoppings and other establishments where the incidents of all sorts of crimes are rampants. Major streets and highways must also be equipped with CCTV cameras to discourage acts of criminality.
Budget allocations for crime prevention must be doubled so that police authorities will be able to modernize its weapons and equipment in its fight against well-established criminal syndicates and gangs. Intellligence-gathering and effective investigation activities of the PNP and the NBI must be well-funded and manned or order to complement the crime-fighting operations of the government.
The government should now focus its effort in devising a plan or plans to reduce the crime rate. The proliferation of loose firearms is one major hurdle that the PNP must overcome in order to eradicate the incidents of killings and robberies connected with the use of powerful weapons. Also, the fortress that is built around private armies in the regions must be leveled by the national police so that these private armies can be disarmed and neutralized. Gun licenses must be restrictive and should only be issued to private individuals based on the extreme needs for protection and security. Rampant issuance of gun licenses without checking on the applications should be stopped and discouraged.
CCTV cameras should be a requirement on businesses, banks, shoppings and other establishments where the incidents of all sorts of crimes are rampants. Major streets and highways must also be equipped with CCTV cameras to discourage acts of criminality.
Budget allocations for crime prevention must be doubled so that police authorities will be able to modernize its weapons and equipment in its fight against well-established criminal syndicates and gangs. Intellligence-gathering and effective investigation activities of the PNP and the NBI must be well-funded and manned or order to complement the crime-fighting operations of the government.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
And Now...More Corruption Scandals...
The military establishment is now under fire for charges of corruption. The House and the Senate, in separate hearings, have uncovered shades of corruption where government funds numbering in the millions could not be accounted for. There is no end in the number of cases being discovered by the government and Congress relating to graft and corruption committed by former government and military officials of the Philippines. This is shameful.
While the country is wracked by bus bombings, carjacking cases, carnapping and kidnapping cases, killings, crime wave that will not dissipate, higher food prices, higher toll fees, etc. here comes the revelations of missing funds intended for reimbursing costs of field operations of Philippine soldiers.
What's next? Hopefully, there will be no threat of coup or de-estabilization drive against the government of Aquino to prevent him from pursuing the guilty parties in this new corruption scandals in the military. A retired bishop has mentioned that there are two groups salivating to grab power in the country today. If the bishop is serious in saving the country from undue chaos, he should come out and name names. Otherwise, he should avoid further comments relating to the stability of the country.
Evidently, the accused will fight back in order to protect his reputation. The accusations of graft and corruption was done in a Congressional hearing, not in the court of law. More often than not, this is right now a trial in publicity, as no formal charges have not been filed by government prosecutors through the Department of Justice or the Ombudsman.
This is the unfolding drama in the country today. Indeed, it will be a waste of time and money if nothing comes out of it, just like past hearings and accusations which, even with the presence of whistleblowers, did not send any big fish to jail.
While the country is wracked by bus bombings, carjacking cases, carnapping and kidnapping cases, killings, crime wave that will not dissipate, higher food prices, higher toll fees, etc. here comes the revelations of missing funds intended for reimbursing costs of field operations of Philippine soldiers.
What's next? Hopefully, there will be no threat of coup or de-estabilization drive against the government of Aquino to prevent him from pursuing the guilty parties in this new corruption scandals in the military. A retired bishop has mentioned that there are two groups salivating to grab power in the country today. If the bishop is serious in saving the country from undue chaos, he should come out and name names. Otherwise, he should avoid further comments relating to the stability of the country.
Evidently, the accused will fight back in order to protect his reputation. The accusations of graft and corruption was done in a Congressional hearing, not in the court of law. More often than not, this is right now a trial in publicity, as no formal charges have not been filed by government prosecutors through the Department of Justice or the Ombudsman.
This is the unfolding drama in the country today. Indeed, it will be a waste of time and money if nothing comes out of it, just like past hearings and accusations which, even with the presence of whistleblowers, did not send any big fish to jail.
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