Ombudsman probes Palace bribes to solons, LGUs

November 6, 2007  --  Got something to say?
Print This Post Print This Post

govpanlilio.pngMANILA - President Arroyo has ordered the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) to give way to the Office of the Ombudsman in its investigation into the alleged payoffs made by Palace aides to administration congressmen and local officials after a meeting in Malacaang nearly two weeks ago.

The Presidents move came on the heels of the Ombudsmans announcement that it was conducting its own investigation into the issue. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is an appointee of the President and is reportedly a friend of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. The Senate is also poised to conduct its own investigation of the payola.

The decision to allow the Ombudsman to investigate the incident was based on the possibility that the PAGCs effort might lead to a waste of time and resources because it does not have jurisdiction over elected officials such as congressmen and local government executives. The PAGCs jurisdiction is limited only to presidential appointees. With the Ombudsmans announcement that it is investigating the the payoff incident, the public is assured that the matter is now being looked into by a constitutionally mandated and independent body,” Bunye explained.

This came as the Civil Society Group of 21 led by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona also filed charges Oct. 23 before the Ombudsman against President President Arroyo, her spouse, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Mike Arroyo, and two other high-ranking government officials, one of whom is deemed resigned, over the alleged overpriced ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) contract that is claimed to have been marked by kickbacks in the hundreds of millions.
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., who attended the Oct. 23 National Security Council (NSC) meeting in Malacaang, denied his camp was the source of the cash gifts that were doled out to the 190 congressmen and 48 local chief executives who attended the breakfast meeting called by Mrs. Arroyo last Oct. 11 in Malacaang.

Do you believe the money came from Congress and was brought here in Malacaang? Let us not fool the people,” De Venecia told the media in Filipino.

When asked if he had knowledge of the source of the money, De Venecia said: I do not know, I came late to the meeting. He, however, emphasized he was still an ally of the President, saying his presence at the NSC meeting was proof of that.
He said he plans to craft a joint vision with Mrs. Arroyo on how to address morality in the government and how to further pursue good governance.

De Venecia, though, said he still believes Mrs. Arroyo should revamp her Cabinet to improve its composition and boost her governments effectivity as servant of the people.

As De Venecia made a denial, League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) Secretary General, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said he was the source of the payola given to lawmakers and local officials as alleged by Bulacan Gov. Joselito Jonjon Mendoza.

In a statement sent to members of the Malacaang Press Corps, Evardone said Mendoza and former priest and Pampanga Gov. Eduardo Panlilio should just return the money given them and stop making it appear that it was a form of bribery.
He said the two local chief executives should spare the Arroyo government of unfair and baseless conjectures.
Evardone said the P200,000 to P500,000 provided to some 50 local officials were actually meant for them to use as assistance funds for their local projects.

Evardone also sought to clarify that he never mentioned anything to Mendoza about any financial assistance for the upcoming barangay elections that was supposed to be given to the governors during a separate LPP meeting at the Palace after the Ulap event.

Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio exposed to the media the P500,000 he received from Bulacan Gov. Jonjon Mendoza during a Malacanang meeting of local government officials. Mendoza said he also received a similar amount.

The distribution of money came close on the heels of earlier revelations that the President also distributed P200,000 in cash each to about 100 friendly congressmen during a meeting in Malacanang presumably so they will not vote to impeach her.

Panlilio, a Catholic priest, said his aide accepted the bag containing the money in cash from the Bulacan governor during a meeting with the President in Malacanang two weeks ago. I did not think it was bribe money, otherwise, I would not have accepted it and I received it in good faith, Panlilio said in prepared statement at the provincial capitol.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, meanwhile, encouraged the Senate to investigate the gifts given to Panlilio and Mendoza. Following the expose, the Department of Interior and Local Governments led by Ronaldo Puno threatened to charge and then suspend the two governors for receiving bribes!

Archbishop Jaime Lagdameo said in a statement that with this sort of happening, our country is not only suffering from economic bankruptcy but also moral bankruptcy being shown by our leaders.

The archbishop asked: What was the purpose of the cash gifts? Where did they come from? Who was the personal source of the cash? Were they for local government projects? Were they for the forthcoming Barangay Elections? Why were they distributed only to pro-administration local officials? Why not also to the opposition? Who ultimately will profit from these cash gifts? Are they really gifts or bribes?

I consider the money to have come from public funds as it was given by Malacaang. And it will be used for public purposes,” the governor said.

The church criticized Panlilio for not returning the money which constituted as bribe so they will support the beleaguered President.


Posted by News Team | Filed Under Articles/Stories 

Comments

Got something to say?





Authentic Diecast Model Cars