IntegriNews TOP NEWS PCGG LOST P1.2 B IN LEASE DEALS: The Presidential Commission on Good Government said a real estate holding firm, surrendered to the government by a crony of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, lost more than P1.2 billion as a result of anomalous lease agreements forged by previous executives for portions of the 18.5-hectare "Payanig sa Pasig" property in the past 10 years, PCGG chairman Andres Bautista said...an audit of the deals made by Independent Realty Corp. Group of Companies officials appointed during the Arroyo administration found a legacy of mismanagement and incompetence and uncovered a number of irregularities and questionable transactions. BOOK ON GOOD GOVERNANCE CONTAINS NO FICTION: For a country where tales of corruption abound, a movement for clean governance has put together stories of what remains "the exception" in the nation's political scene: good news in governance. Good governance movement Kaya Natin! recently launched its first book, a quick 76-page read that puts together stories behind 10 of the country's better known political reformists, including Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, former governors Grace Padaca (Isabela) and Ed Panlilio (Pampanga). Kaya Natin! lead convenor Harvey Keh is calling on corporate foundations to help the organization bring the book to public high schools nationwide...Titled "The Kaya Natin! Champions," the book hopes to spread the good governance ministry around the country and inspire others to take on the advocacy. ALL VOICES Pamalakaya national chairperson says Aquino gets biggest, audit free pork barrel A vocal critic of the administration today said Philippine President Benigno Simeon Aquino III will have the biggest pork barrel of all time next year if Congress passed the proposed P 1.8 trillion budget for next year, with P 161.6 billion audit free and unprogrammed allocations earmarked for the Aquino office... “President Aquino is asking Congress to give him P 161 billion in total pork barrel funds for 2012. The character of this pork barrel is free from audit and scrutiny of the taxpaying public. Where is transparency here?” Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said in a press statement. The Pamalakaya leader said the provision for presidential pork barrel which is free from audit and review of the Commission on Audit (COA) promotes high crime of corruption because it gives President Aquino dictatorial powers on how to spend P 161 billion of unprogrammed funds...  “The P 1.8 trillion budget proposed by the Aquino administration will go down in history as a major bank robbery in broad daylight under the present millennium. To be more specific, it is a budget for bailout to foreign and domestic monopolies, a giveaway bonanza to bureaucrat capitalists and recipe for indebtedness, destruction and political attack to people rights and welfare,” said Pamalakaya. The militant group on the other hand proposed that the P 161 billion pork barrel fund of the president be divided as additional allocations for agricultural and fishery production subsidies (P 41-billion), education, including state colleges and universities (P 40-B), construction of free or affordable mass housing (P40-B) and public health services (P40-B).   Read full All Voices article PALACE TO GENERALS: FACE HOUSE PROBE >>> Malacañang on Saturday told the retired generals who figured in the "Hello Garci" recordings to attend the proposed House inquiry into alleged military involvement in election cheating in 2004if they want to clear their names. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace also would not stop Congress from summoning active officers to testify in the congressional probe, which would touch on the reported failure of a military commission headed by then Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga to follow up leads on the involvement of some officers in electoral fraud. DEPT. OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION MONITORING PROGRAM: The Department of Education and its partners launched a new program aimed at keeping a close watch over school construction projects across the country. DepEd, the Ateneo School of Government, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and other non-governmental organizations came together for the roll-out of "Bayanihang Eskwela," a community-based public-private monitoring system that hopes to keep an eye on the construction of school facilities across the country to protect public funds from corruption. ______________________________________ Congress, judiciary not doing a good job against corruption – survey A nationwide online survey has revealed that at least 90 percent of respondents believe that the Congress and judiciary are not doing a good enough job in the fight against corruption.  According to one of the online surveys conducted under the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP), 80 percent of respondents believe that Congress and the judiciary have major roles to play in the fight against corruption…  The survey also showed that 94 percent of respondents believe that building greater transparency and accountability will help reduce corruption, but 60 percent didn’t think the current administration has the "ideal strategy" in place to build transparency and accountability.  Only 4 percent of respondents likewise believe government is working extensively with other groups and sectors to build transparency and reduce corruption...Still, the survey also showed 54 percent those surveyed see "real progress" in the administration’s attempts to improve transparency and accountability and reduce corruption. ___________________________________________ Lawmakers dispute corruption survey results House leaders shrugged off an online survey claiming that Congress and judiciary fell short in addressing corruption in the government. House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales branded the survey of under the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP) as misleading, saying the overwhelming majority of respondents do not understand how Congress works. Read full GMA TV story on survey Read full Manila Bulletin story on Lawmakers reaction GENERALS IN 'HELLO GARCI' ELECTION SCAM FACE PROBE - Certain members of the House of Representatives are determined to pursue the leads uncovered but ignored by the fact-finding panel that prepared the Mayuga Report despite resistance from the majority to revisit the alleged theft of the 2004 presidential election. FOUR GENERALS CLEARED IN "GARCI" SCANDAL: The Mayuga board cleared yesterday four retired generals of alleged involvement in the 2004 election cheating. Cleared were generals Hermogenes Esperon, Roy Kyamko, Gabriel Habacon, and Francisco Gudani. They were mentioned in the controversial "Hello, Garci" tapes, in which a female caller whose voice was similar to that of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo discussed vote rigging, with Garci believed to be then election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. But Mrs. Arroyo and Garcillano denied their involvement in the cheating. "Despite undocumented reports dragging the names of officers to the alleged election anomalies, there is no statement from the resource persons directly linking them or signifying their involvement in any election fraud or anomaly," the investigating board, headed by then Navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga, said in its report. DOJ TO INVESTIGATE PCSO, PNP ANOMALIES. The Department of Justice will investigate the alleged anomalies at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the purchase of Philippine National Police helicopters during the Arroyo administration that were exposed in separate Senate inquries. The Senate public hearings showed that the PCSO had released P325 million of its public relations fund to the intelligence fund of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo between 2008 and 2010, P150 million of which was released on the eve of the 2010 presidential elections. In a separate probe, former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo was dragged into the alleged anomalies hounding PNPs purchase of helicopters in 2009. COMELEC TELLS AFP:GIVE US FULL REPORT. The joint panel of the Department of Justice and Commission on Elections formed to look into alleged election fraud in 2004 and 2007 will summon an official copy of the Mayuga Report from the military, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Thursday. MILITARY 'BURIED EVIDENCE'. The proof of the cheating pudding is in the unearthing of what Malacañang called evidence that allegedly was buried by probers of suspected fraud in the 2004 elections. The burial apparently laid to rest allegations that then-President Gloria Arroyo cheated her way to the highest post in the land with the help of military generals. On Thursday, President Aquino ordered the Department of National Defense to study supporting documents of the Mayuga Report, which was recently declassified after six years. LACSON TO PRESENT WITNESS IN PNP CHOPPER MESS. Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said he will present next week a witness into the National Police choppers controversy who will prove that Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Iggy" Arroyo was lying when he defended his brother First Gentleman Jose Miguel Mike" Arroyo. BLOOMBERG Aquino Invokes Eliot Ness in Philippine Corruption War to Lure Investors Philippine President Benigno Aquino has ordered his guards to protect officials hunting tax evaders in an anti-corruption drive aimed at drawing investors to his country, which he says offers a “far greater” return than its Southeast Asian neighbors. “We’re going after very entrenched and very vested interests,” he said in an interview in the presidential palace in Manila. Al Capone “got caught on tax evasion, not murder, not corruption, by not paying his taxes, that amazed me,” said Aquino... Besides pursuing tax cheats, in his first year in office Aquino has narrowed a record budgetb deficiy and been rewarded with higher credit scores by all three major ratings companies. Now he needs to lure foreign direct investment to upgrade roads, railways and ports that are a drag on the economy and meet his target of 8 percent annual growth... “In terms of corruption he’s doing a pretty good job,” said Edwin Gutierrez, who helps manage about $7 billion of emerging-market debt... Read full Bloomberg article   PLEA BARGAIN REVIEW: New Ombudsman allowed to intervene in Garcia case >>> The anti-graft court has given newly installed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales 30 days to study and make the necessary legal move in connection with the plea deal that was signed by her predecessor.   INQUIRER AFP: Number of   is top secret   The number of ‘ghost’ soldiers will remain secret for now. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has refused to reveal to the Commission on Audit (COA) the number of officers and soldiers under its wing, citing national security reasons...“This is in violation of COA’s constitutional mandate to audit Department of Defense funds. While other countries submit their roster to their auditing bodies, the Philippine COA cannot even check if the supposed number of troops hired by the AFP actually exists,” Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said... The AFP has been padding its actual troop strength by 20 percent through the years, according to George Rabusa, a retired lieutenant colonel... Rabusa...said the budget for the salaries of the ghost soldiers was the major source of the military’s slush fund, from which sendoff gifts amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos for retiring top military officials are taken... Colmenares reckoned that the AFP refused to open its books to the COA due to its fear that the “ghost soldiers” who have padded the military payroll through the years would be finally exposed... Colmenares said COA officials had agreed to give a comprehensive and complete audit report of the entire budget on top of the separate COA reports for each agency or department. “This will be a major change in auditing the budget and will promote transparency and help eliminate corruption and ghost employees” Read full Inquirer article No "ghost soldiers" in AFP, says spokesman __________________________________________________________________   INQUIRER Legislators hit Customs execs over ‘lost’ cargo vans Lawmakers on Monday castigated Bureau of Customs officials over the alleged smuggling of hundreds of container vans filled with household goods, plastic resins and building materials, resulting in the loss of P230 million in potential government revenues...the legislators claimed most of the items were diverted to the country’s fastest growing retail chain, Puregold, and other retail stores without the necessary duties being paid on them... In a statement, Puregold strongly denied it was involved in buying items from the missing containers...District Collector Rogel Gatchalian of the Port of Manila said the goods were released from Manila to Batangas without a bond since they were being accompanied by customs security personnel... ... group were apparently working with well-entrenched customs operations personnel “who knew the loopholes or weak points in the transshipment route of imported goods.” Read full Inquirer article __________________________________________________________________   INQUIRER Ombudsman  revisits controversial plea bargain Newly appointed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales wants to revisit the controversial plea bargain agreement forged between state prosecutors and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia who had been charged with plunder. Morales has asked the Sandiganbayan Second Division in a motion to allow her to submit a position paper on the plea deal. She also asked, in the meantime, that the court hold in abeyance its ruling on a motion to reverse the court’s approval of the deal. Under the plea bargain, Garcia, who was charged with plundering P303 million, agreed to plead guilty to the lighter charges of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering and to turn over P135.433 million of his and his family’s assets to the state... The Sandiganbayan approved the plea bargain in May, provoking intense criticism from administration officials and lawmakers who said the deal would greatly weaken anticorruption efforts. Morales said that having only recently assumed her post, she was still familiarizing herself with the many cases pending before the Ombudsman. Read full Inquirer article Read Journal OnLine article Read GMA NEWS article Read ABS-CBN NEWS article ______________________________________________________________________   STAR COA stops pre-auditing of gov't transactions to prevent auditors and corrupt officials from getting involved in anomalous deals With the new policy, state auditors are barred from approving a program or project before the same is implemented by the concerned department, bureau, division, or office. COA chief Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan explained that while the intentions of pre-audit were laudable, its implementation opens the door to the idea of so-called “secret agreements.” “For one, its very nature and purpose – which is essentially an approval process of a transaction before it can be carried out – gave rise to myriad reports that a quid pro quo between the agency and our auditors take place every now and then, for without COA’s approval, the transaction cannot proceed,” she said. Tan said pre-audit has placed a big burden on auditors who are genuinely cautious and thorough because in their bid for time to make a decision, certain government projects are delayed which result in consequent penalties. “The COA has been perceived as ‘obstructionist’ or, at the other end of the spectrum, ‘nagpapapresyo (trying to set a price or bribe). So either way, damned if we do, damned if we don’t,” she said... Tan and commissioners Heidi Mendoza and Juanito Espino Jr. signed a COA circular lifting the pre-audit system, saying safeguarding public money is the principal responsibility of government agencies.  Read full Star article ___________________________________________________________________   ABS-CBN NEWS COA PRE-AUDIT POLICY CLARIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS In budget hearing of Congress, the COA announced that it is keeping its policy of pre-auditing government projects but only for some agencies like the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). COA Chair Tan made an example of the alleged purchase of second-hand PNP choppers as something that got passed the pre-audit scheme of the PNP. Tan said they have a lot of data that were not captured during the auditing but are now unfolding, such as the PNP choppers. She explained that they did away with the pre-audit system for some agencies that had a good record so that the COA does not unduly delay any government project. "The lifting of pre-audit is not total. We will still do it but on a risk based approach. Per transaction basis iyan," she said. Read ABS-CBN NEWS article PALACE: NO FOI FOR NOW >>> Malacañang said it would need more time to study the freedom of information (FOI) bill and thus it would not be included in the list of priority bills..."The FOI is being studied, we have certain concerns, valid concerns, which we are going to raise, which have been raised by the President himself, and it's not dead in the water."

	More IntegriNews HEADLINES Prosecutor junks Angelo Reyes' libel case vs Rabusa due to insufficiency of evidence Panel created to probe election fraud involving military supposedly covered up poll official's testimony she was bribed to tamper with election results in favor of then President Mike Arroyo's bookkeeper detained for telling "lies" Catanduanes: Pillars of justice system discuss issues, problems Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas says office received reports that some of ombudsman's employees received honorarium for conducting forums and seminars on graft prevention program Former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno denies he ordered National Police Commission to tailor-fit specifications of helicopters to be purchased by Philippine National Police to those allegedly owned by former First Gentleman BOOKKEEPER: Iggy Arroyo paid for chopper lease, but he could not present any documents PRESIDENT callS on public to strengthen its support to administration's anti-corruption campaign during a ceremony to commemorate 28th anniversary of death of his father Coast Guard deals target of inquiry Local aircraft owners, small charter flight operators, pilots and flight attendants have formed a group to fight the alleged corruption and red tape at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines SENATE MINORITY LEADER: Creation of an information commission may defeat purpose of speedy release of information to public, which is primary objective for passage of the Freedom of Information bill SOLICITOR GENERAL: government may pursue another legal action against businessman Roberto V. Ongpin in bid to have him forfeit profit his company made from alleged irregular P660 million loan by previous board of Development Bank of Philippines Outgoing Tourism Secretary: Noy delayed acting on graft case vs TIEZA chief over political considerations; Commission on Audit uncovered several questionable transactions at Department of Tourism, including report against TIEZA chief operating officer Senate "helicopter" probe proceeds sans Iggy, Mikey Arroyo Four more former executives of Local Water Utilities Administration face charges for "illegal" acquisition of financially-troubled thrift bank based in Cabuyao, Laguna in 2008 Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to investigate reports of illegal transport terminals in metropolis whose operators spend millions on protection money to maintain them Lawmaker seeks inquiry into operation of corn program of previous administration which Commission on Audit (COA) report in 2007 said had incurred huge losses Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office did not liquidate its intelligence funds for election years 2004 and 2007 Media groups urge PNoy to pass FOI bill Metro Manila Development Authority to implement "no-bribery" policy for traffic enforcers Customs official facing suspension on charges of accumulating P2.79 million between 2007 and 2009, while serving as customs operations officer SOLICITOR GENERAL: Case vs Marcos crony, bank execs strong The camp of former police officer Cezar Mancao II has challenged Sen. Panfilo Ping Lacson to trace the P150-million check deposited in the account of his former aide and key witness in the Dacer-Corbtio killings and even offered to turn over the proceeds of that account to him if he can trace it. Senators on Tuesday rejected Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Iggy Arroyos account that the secondhand helicopters sold as brand new to the Philippine National Police had been leased to the family-owned company LTA Inc. and had not been owned by his brother, Jose Miguel Arroyo, the former first gentleman. Former police senior superintendent Cesar Mancao admitted yesterday that indeed the P150-million check Sen. Panfilo Lacson said was deposited in his bank account, does exist... Mancao said that the check that was deposited in his account was part of an alleged plot by Lacson to destroy his credibility as a witness against the senator THE Justice Department and the Commission on Elections will include the recently declassified Mayuga report in their joint investigation of election fraud, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Thursday. Officials and employees of the defunct Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) created by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in May 2007 have more than P28.250 million in unliquidated cash advances to account for. A senior lawmaker yesterday said the losses incurred by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) in the casino scam involving foreigners might have been jacked up, based on the original information contained in the complaint sheet. Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez has rejected the call by an opposition congressman for him to resign over the case of missing 2,000 container vans, saying that it was he who uncovered the anomaly in the first place. Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday accused former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II of receiving a P150-million check as payment to implicate him in the Dacer-Corbito murder case. The Office of the Ombudsman has filed a $5.19 million forfeiture case against former Ambassador Benjamin 'Kokoy' Romualdez and his wife Juliette Gomez-Romualdez before the Sandiganbayan. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) did not liquidate its intelligence funds for election years 2004 and 2007, the Senate learned on Thursday. The camp of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo quashed speculations there was wrongdoing on her part for advancing funds from the President's Social Fund, which was allegedly earmarked for her successor. President Aquino has ordered a technical working group to fine-tune the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill that he wants Congress to pass and balance the right of both the state and the public. An administration congressman yesterday tagged two top officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs in the alleged smuggling of more than 2,000 "missing" cargo vans carrying consumer goods which resulted in the loss of billions of pesos in revenues for the government. A new counsel engaged by former AFP comptroller Jacinto C. Ligot and his family has asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to cancel all scheduled hearings in their forfeiture case by at least a month to enable him to study trial records. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally charged 5 officials and personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in connection with the escape of New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) inmate and former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste last May 18. The caloocan City government could be earning more than P37 million annually if it was directly managing the operations of the Maypajo public market, according to the Commission on Audit. National Union of Journalists in the Philippines expresses disappointment over exclusion of freedom of information bill from President's list of priority bills Department of Justice issues code of conduct for prosecutors Supreme Court, Commission on Audit and Ombudsman before the House committee on appropriations are complaining of reductions in their 2012 budget made by Department of Budget and Management Senator: Chopper document tampered Commission on Audit tells House Appropriations Committee that then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo advanced P98.6 million from President's Social Fund that should have been left to then-incoming President Benigno Aquino III in 2010 Economist: "Addressing corruption alone can't reduce poverty" Four of the seven Metro Manila cities audited so far by the Commission on Audit were found to have more than P629 million in cash advances that have not yet been liquidated Ombudsman sacks Negros Oriental municipal registrar for stealing scrap metals from the town's motor pool and storeroom in 2009 Customs chief urged to resign over "missing" container vans Senator wants Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo to face the Senate and answer questions about his claim that the five helicopters allegedly owned by his brother were merely leased by the LTA Inc, owned by the Arroyo family, from Lionair Inc. Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo defended his brother, former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who has been implicated in the controversial helicopter deal...saying that the helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police did not belong to his brother Freedom of info bill not a Palace priority (again) Ombudsman questions Department of Budget and Management's move to place P432 million in automatic appropriations for 2012 in special purpose fund that can only be accessed once OMB fills up its vacant posts...saying government should automatically release this to her office since it enjoys fiscal autonomy House Committee recommends filing of criminal charges against 16 officials of Bureau of Customs allegedly involved in grand conspiracy to defraud government of about P3.6 billion after 1,910 vans containing high-duty goods went missing since January Senator files resolution calling for Senate inquiry into behest loans and similar sweetheart deals...also wants to look into "other similar bigger financial anomalies involving government banks and financial institutions" in breach of banking and anti-corruption laws OMBUDSMAN ON GMA: "We will be fair to her. We will base our decisions on the evidence"

Ehem -- the anti-corruption initiative of the Philippine Jesuits echoes the urgent call for cultural reform against corruption in the Philippines.
Ehem aims at bringing people to a renewed sensitivity to the evil of corruption and its prevalence in ordinary life. It seeks ultimately to make them more intensely aware of their own vulnerability to corruption, their own uncritiqued, often unwitting practice of corruption in daily life.
Ehem hopes to bring people, in the end, to a commitment to live the way of Ehemplo --- critical of corruption, intent on integrity!

 

Management Association of the Philippines 
MAP is a management organization committed to promoting management excellence. The members of the MAP represent a cross-section of CEOs, COOs and other top executives from the top local and multinational companies operating in the country, including some top officials of government and the academe.

iPro supports the process of reducing corruption by seeking synergies between Government of the Republic of the Philippines agencies and civil society at all levels.

 

 

Free Website Counter