NBN-ZTE WITNESS NAMED TO GOV'T POST: A newspaper columnist who testified in court against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the NBN-ZTE scandal has been appointed to a government corporate post, Malacañang said Wednesday. In an interview with reporters, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced that Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc has been appointed as a member of the board of directors of the Independent Realty Corporation (IRC) Group of Companies. The IRC is under the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which is tasked to recover ill-gotten wealth of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos and his family and associates. The IRC is a government-sequestered firm, Valte said. It owns the building in which the PCGG holds office.

PCGG OPEN TO ADOPTING TRUTH COMMISSION: THE Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) welcomed the proposal to consolidate its mandate with that of the Truth Commission, which the Supreme Court recently declared as unconstitutional. "We are but soldiers of the President [Benigno Aquino 3rd]," PCGG Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said. But he said that if the PCGG performs the mandate of the Truth Commission, it would be needing more funds for the hiring of additional lawyers. The PCGG has been beset with problems of hiring capable lawyers in the past, because of fund constraints. Bautista said that they are leaving it up to the Palace to decide if the PCGG will undertake the mandate of the Truth Commission, which is to investigate and put closure on the graft and corruption cases that transpired during the previous Arroyo administration.

SENATOR SUPPORTS PCGG CORRUPTION PROBE: Sen. Franklin Drilon expressed support for the proposal of Malacañang to tap the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in the investigation of the corruption cases under the previous administration. Drilon said the PCGG could handle the job of the Truth Commission, after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Executive Order 1 that created the panel is in violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution. Drilon, a former justice secretary, said the SC had also ruled in a number of cases in favor of the PCGG in going after the Marcos wealth. He pointed out the extent of PCGG's power to conduct investigation on graft and corruption cases committed during the Marcos administration.

PCGG TO APPEAL MARCOS' MANSION DECISION: THE Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) said that the decision of the Supreme Court ordering the return of a beach-front mansion that was seized by the government when a 1986 popular revolt toppled her dictator husband, is not yet final, as they plan to appeal the case. According to the PCGG, they are now studying the case and looking at the possible angle for the appeal that they will file. "The decision is not final, we can still appeal and we will appeal," the commission said.

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S COA...WITH HELP: Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, citing a recently-released annual audit report on the state-owned firm, said she is joining the Commission on Audit (CoA) in blocking another attempt by the HGC to issue P5.5 billion worth of seven-year coupon bearing and amortizing bonds. Instead, HGC should vigorously pursue its bid to recover investments in the Harbor Center Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI), which was practically surrendered through alleged anomalous proceedings to the RII Builders, she said. CoA has earlier called for the immediate recovery of the HCPTI investments which could help HGC raise funds to cover maturing bonds next year.

PCGG TO THE RESCUE?: THE Presidential Commission on Good Government may be tapped to investigate corruption cases against the previous administration, bypassing the problems with the Truth Commission that the Supreme Court has struck down as unconstitutional, a member of the Palace legal team said Monday. "The PCGG has more extensive powers to investigate, file and prosecute graft and corruption cases than the Truth Commission," said Magdangal Elma, presidential assistant on special concerns.

OMBUDSAN TO PURSUE FICTITIOUS "JOE VELARDE": THE Office of the Ombudsman will step up efforts to keep "Jose Velarde" charged before the Sandiganbayan for the plunder case filed against him. Ombudsman spokesman Jose de Jesus told The Manila Times that pending the decision of the anti-graft court on the motion of businessman Jaime Dichaves to junk the criminal charges against him if not order a reinvestigation, the Ombudsman will "vigorously oppose" the camp of the man identified as Jose Velarde.

IMMIGRATION "VACATION": Intelligence agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) are banned from conducting operations during the Christmas season to prevent unscrupulous personnel from using the holiday to harass suspected illegal aliens.

COURT ORDERS RETURN OF MARCOS MANSION: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos said Tuesday that she will have a merry Christmas thanks to a court ordering the return of one of the sprawling mansions the government seized after her husband was deposed...Despite some 900 civil and criminal cases she has faced in Philippine courts -- ranging from tax evasion to embezzlement and corruption -- she has emerged relatively unscathed and has never served prison time. All but a handful of the cases have been dismissed for lack of evidence and a few convictions were overturned on appeal. Marcos, 81, says the Leyte property -- including a 17-room house, a golf course, swimming pool, cottages and a pavilion -- belonged to her family long before her husband was born.

PALACE BRUSHES ASIDE TI SURVEY: Malacañang Tuesday brushed aside a global survey by Transparency International (TI) showing corruption has worsened in the last years in the country. Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the data related to the country's anti-corruption efforts was collected by the foreign watchdog during the past administration and not the Aquino government. The Global Corruption Barometer 2010, released by watchdog TI, indicated that government's efforts to fight corruption were ineffective. Around 1,000 persons were surveyed from June 21 to July 7. Lacierda lamented that the TI survey made to appear that the anti-corruption efforts of the Aquino government are not working. "Let me just explain that while it's true that the survey period was between July 1 to Sep. 30, pertinent to the Philippines, the survey field day for Transparency International for the Philippines was conducted between June 21 to July 7," Lacierdsa said in a press conference. "So this was a survey or a perception towards the anti-corruption efforts of the previous administration..."

BRIBERY DEN WEBB ACQUITTAL: The Supreme Court on Tuesday vehemently denied allegations that money changed hands in the acquittal of Hubert Webb and five other accused in the Vizconde massacre case.

PALAWEÑOS PRESS RAPS AGAINST EX-OFFICIAL: Three residents of Palawan have asked the Office of the Ombudsman to act on their graft complaints against former Vice Governor David Ponce A. de Leon and five others for estafa through falsification of official receipts used for reimbursements.

HELICOPTER CONTRACT QUESTIONED: The Philippines has halted an order for Polish helicopters, claiming corruption that the government admits it has no proof of....The Philippines was unwilling to pay higher prices all other helicopter manufacturers were asking. But even with Swidnik's low price, Filipino officials were not satisfied, and now contend that Swidnik's price should be cut 12.5 percent. It appears that the Philippines either wants to get out of the deal, or is trying to negotiate another discount. Corruption in defense procurement is a big problem in the Philippines, but it's unclear if that is the major problem here.

BISHOPS BACK "TRUTH" PROBE BY PCGG: The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines is supportive of a Malacañang official's proposal to just let the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) handle the investigation of the alleged string of corruption cases that took place during the Arroyo administration.

COA: MORE EXECS GET "HUGE" BONUSES >>> Despite owing the government over P7 billion in concession fees and other liabilities, Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) last year gave its board of directors, officers and employees over P57 million in allowances that lacked legal basis, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). PNCC whose president is Theresa Defensor also gave some P261.33 million in unauthorized cash advances to its employees, the audit agency said in its latest report on the GOCC. The COA said the corporation should have first settled its obligations with the national government before improperly providing "huge" allowances to its personnel...COA noted that last year, it asked PNCC to discontinue giving such cash advances, to no avail. It said the practice should be stopped and the advances refunded.

PCGG ALTERNATIVE TO "UNCONSTITUTIONAL" TRUTH BODY: The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) can pick up where the Truth Commission left off and investigate the alleged corruption cases of the Arroyo administration, according to a presidential adviser who submitted this recommendation to President Aquino...The PCGG was primarily tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, his family and associates. But under Section 2b of Mrs. Aquinos EO No. 1, it was also empowered to assist the president in "the investigation of such cases of graft and corruption as the president may assign to the Commission from time to time..."...the PCGG has more extensive powers to investigate, file and/or prosecute graft and corruption cases under EO No.1 series of 1986 than the Philippine Truth Commission under EO No. 1 series of 2010

SUPREME COURT RETURNS MARCOS MANSION: The Supreme Court (SC) has unanimously upheld a 2002 ruling by the Sandiganbayan that nullified the sequestration order on the Marcos family's rest house in Olot, Tolosa, Leyte and ordered the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to restore to former first lady Imelda R. Marcos full possession of the property. The Olot property is a 17-room mansion sitting on 42 hectares of beachfront land with a golf course, swimming pool, cottages, a pelota court, and a pavilion. It was sequestered by the PCGG in 1987 for allegedly being part of the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.

UN PRODS PHILIPPINES >>> CORRUPTION COSTS "20 TO 30% OF NATIONAL BUDGET": Renaud Meyer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director to the Philippines, revealed the country's dismal performance based on the MDG Report launched early this September. Meyer noted that meager resources due to corruption hurt the country's chances in achieving the MDGs. "We all know that corruption heavily impacts and diverts meager resources meant to deliver services to the poor. Concretely, this translates to lesser government budget to fund critical MDG services," he said. Meyer said that recent estimates put the cost of corruption at about 20 to 30 percent of the national budget. "This means less classrooms, less hospitals, less kilometers of farm to market roads for farmers, less protection from diseases in remote communities, less potable water for waterless villages. In all these aspects, it is the poor who suffer the most," he added.

"TRUTH" BUDGET STAYS INTACT: The P83-million budget that will fund the operations of the Truth Commission next year remains intact even after the Supreme Court has declared the body as "unconstitutional." Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, revealed this after admitting that the bicameral conference on the P1.645-trillion budget for 2011 has yet to discuss what to do about the fund.

ANTI-GRAFT "PEOPLE POWER" INVOKED: President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino invoked "People Power" to help "barangay" (village) officials in the campaign to stamp out corruption and eliminate red tape in government. The President was the guest speaker in the first-ever assembly of officials of the country's 42,000 barangays hosted by his home province of Tarlac in Central Luzon...In his speech, Aquino cited the urgent need for village officials to practice transparency, responsibility, accountability and participation in good governance through "People Power."..."It is the duty of village officials to bring to the people the aspirations of our government," Aquino pointed out. "If I say, let us take the straight path no one should go the other way." He added: "If I say no one should receive bribes, let us stop expecting envelopes under the table. If a trader needs a barangay clearance, don't subject him to added difficulties. If procedures are unnecessary, let us cut them off."

THE TRUTH ABOUT "TRUTH": Before it was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court earlier this week, the Philippine Truth Commission had received more than 50 complaints of corruption against the previous Arroyo administration. Less than 10 of the cases mentioned former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said commissioner Carlos Medina.

SANDIGANBAYAN JAILS 4 FOR GRAFT: The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court has convicted four ranking officials of Cebu City in the Visayas in Central Philippines for allowing the paymaster to accumulate unliquidated cash advances totaling more than $200,000 in 1988. Found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violating the country's Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were the former city administrator, city treasurer, cash division chief, and city accountant.

FINANCE EXEC FACES GRAFT RAP: An official of the Bureau of Customs has filed a complaint against an officer of the Department of Finance's Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) for allegedly trying to force him to release P10 million worth of smuggled goods intercepted at the Manila harbor in November.

ETHICAL PLEDGE PROGRAM LAUNCHED: The Hills Program on Governance at the Asian Institute of Management, in collaboration with the Makati Business Club, the Management Association of the Philippines, and the respective Chambers of Commerce of the Americans and the Europeans in the Philippines recently launched an initiative to mobilize companies to sign a pledge committing them to promote ethical business practices. MBC, MAP, ECCP and AmCham count as members some of the biggest corporations in the country. AIM's Hills Program on Corporate Governance decided to focus its efforts on obtaining pledges from the SME sector. Individually weak, SMEs achieve their common objective of avoiding extortion only through collective action.

COURT UNLIKELY TO REVERSE "TRUTH" RULING: Even if Malacañang would revise Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission, it is doubtful the Supreme Court (SC) would reverse its ruling because of "fatal constitutional infirmities" in the document, House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said

"TRUTH TELLERS" LAUNCHED: Dismayed by a Supreme Court ruling striking down President Aquino's truth commission, a dissident former Army general and his civilian allies Launched a movement to encourage "truth tellers" to supply them with leads about corruption in the past Arroyo administration. Dubbed the July 1, 2010, Movement, the group led by retired General Danilo Lim vowed to use the information they will receive to build up cases against corrupt officials in the past administration, and to initiate "a shame campaign" against them.

WEB-BASED WHISTLEBLOWER SITE LAUNCHED: Anti-corruption advocates led by running priest Fr. Robert P. Reyes and former Army Brig. Gen. Danny Lim led the launch of the Anonymous Whistle Blowers website aimed at fighting corruption in government. In a press briefing at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, Lim explained that the website, titled The July 1 Movement, Para sa Bansa, is a web-based program for whistle blowers that allow ordinary citizens to report corruption without necessarily being identified or appearing. The website can viewed through this link - http://www.parasabansa-712010.org/

FIGHT CORRUPTION, DE LIMA URGES NATIONS: Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has urged all nations to take responsibility for corrupt practices perpetrated by own nationals in foreign shores. De Lima issued the statement when she earlier addressed foreign senior law enforcement officials and heads of institutions in a World Bank Group (WB) sponsored "International Corruption Hunters Network" meeting, themed "Joining Forces to Combat Transnational Bribery" Towards Development Effectiveness in Washington, D.C., USA. De Lima, who was one of the three high-level representatives invited by World Bank Integrity Vice President Leonard F. McCarthy, to speak at the session entitled "Investigation and Prosecution of Transnational Bribery and Asset Recovery Legal and Practical Insights," had the delicate task of addressing the Philippines' lackluster performance in that area over the decade.

The Supreme Court's decision declaring as unconstitutional an administrative order creating a body to investigate alleged corruption under the previous administration has overshadowed the country's gains by ratifying a treaty pledging to fight corruption, according to a top United Nations official in the Philippines.

MAP CORRUPTION RISKS: There is a need to map the terrain of corruption in the government in the effort to fight graft and corruption. The Center for Asian Integrity (CAI) said there are corruption risks and "hot spots" that should be identified and contained in order to clearly recognize power structures in the country that allow corruption to thrive. The CAI stressed this strategy during its two-day workshop entitled "Mapping Philippine Corruption" that brought together several government agencies and state institutions, including the University of the Philippines-NCPAG, the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

NERI FIGHTS BACK: Former Social Security System president Romulo Neri has turned the tables on the Bureau of Internal Revenue officials who lodged a tax evasion complaint against him last month. In an eight-page counter-affidavit filed with the Department of Justice on Thursday, Neri said he will file the appropriate criminal charges against his accusers for supposedly maliciously accusing him as a tax cheat.

NBN-ZTE HEARINGS TO CONTINUE NEXT YEAR: The graft hearings of former Socio-economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri and Comelec chairperson Benjamin Abalos will continue in January and February next year...Neri and Abalos are both facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the scrapped $329 million national broadband network (NBN) deal between the Philippines and China's Zhing Xing Telecommunications Equipment Inc. (ZTE).

UNDP LAUDS ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has lauded the Aquino government's renewed commitment to fight corruption. "The Executive Order [No. 1 on Truth Commission] is a statement of how committed they are," said UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer on ANC's The Rundown. "We welcome this renewed commitment of government despite the Supreme Court ruling. It won't change the commitment." The statement comes amid President Aquino's open defense for Executive Order 1 (EO 1)...

Ombudsman joins celebration of Int'l Anti-Corruption Day

SUPREME COURT VOWS COOPERATION AGAINST CORRUPTION: The Supreme Court assured President Benigno S. Aquino III that it is one with him in the fight against graft and corruption. Lawyer Maria Victoria Gleoresty Gerra, acting chief of the SC's Public Information Office, said Chief Justice Renato C. Corona and the other magistrates of the High Court never doubted the President's desire to curb graft and corruption, although they believe there is a better way to do it. "The justices are supportive of the anti-graft and corruption effort (of the Aquino administration). The objective is laudable and noble, but the means and instrumentalities must be acceptable and in accordance with the law and the Constitution,"...

CHOCOLATE HILLS EX-MAYOR facing charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly manifesting frauds against public treasury

MAYOR VS. EX-MAYOR: Tuburan Mayor Democrito "Aljon" Diamante said he will file a plunder case against his predecessor after the Commission on Audit reported that a total of P48 million municipal funds could be missing. Diamante believes that former mayor Constancio Suezo has squandered the amount prompting him to also hire a team of investigators to look into the financial transactions entered into by his predecessor.

ANTI-GRAFT CRUSADER VS. GOVERNOR: Self-styled anti-graft crusader Crisologo Saavedra filed before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas a criminal complaint for plunder against Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. Saavedra anchored his complaint, which he filed under oath for the first time, on the final evaluation report of the anti-graft office on the controversial Balili land deal. Garcia on the other hand said she will file a criminal case for perjury and malicious prosecution against Saavedra for acting like a "vociferous attack dog."

COA: EXPLAIN OR REFUND EXPENDITURES >>> The Commission on Audit (COA) had asked officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explain more than P70.4 million in irregular expenditures last year. State auditors said the accountable personnel who used the funds or those who authorized the payments should immediately refund the money.

TOP WORLD BANK EXEC BACKS GOOD GOVERNANCE EFFORTS: A top executive of the World Bank assured President Aquino yesterday of the institution's strong support for his administration's good governance and anti-poverty agenda. In a statement, WB Managing Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati reiterated WB Group President Robert Zoellick's support for the overall policy direction the Aquino administration is taking. "The World Bank Group is pleased to support the President's major policy initiatives, including clean government, better social protection, expansion of education and health care for the underserved and better infrastructure through private-public partnerships," Indrawati said. "And we are ready to step up our support if the government so desires."

WORLD BAN PRESIDENT PRAISES PHILIPPINES: World Bank president Robert Zoellick singled out for special mention the Aquino administration's campaign to stamp out smuggling and tax evasion. At the first meeting of the International Corruption Hunters Alliance attended by senior government officials from across the globe...Zoellick said at a time of fiscal constraint in many donor countries it was important to spend every development dollar as intended to overcome poverty and boost growth and opportunity. "Stealing is bad enough; ripping off the poor is disgusting"...Giving a few examples to illustrate what can be accomplished with the right leadership, Zoellick said a public tip-off campaign launched by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima "in its first six months has already netted dozens of tax evaders and smugglers who have defrauded the government."

DAVAO POR MONEY FLOWING: The level of corruption in the Bureau of Customs (BOC), particularly at the Davao Port in Sasa, is so extensive that it could involve a number of the agency's top officials, a businessman said.

CONTRACTORS FACE BLACK LIST FOR ROAD MESS: The Department of Public Works and Highways in Cagayan Valley is considering a ban on two construction firms that worked on a botched P20-million road project in Santa Fe town.

AFP: MOAST ALREADY REPAID >>> The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has liquidated most of the P87.4 million in cash advances incurred last year, the military saiD...

UNLIQUIDATED FORCES: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had unliquidated cash advances of P87,487,663.56 as of Dec. 31, 2009, a Commission on Audit (COA) report revealed. State auditors said unsettled obligations should be cleared by continuous coordination with different military units and major services in order to locate accountable officers. The COA report noted that more than P78.3 million of the unliquidated cash advances had been outstanding for over three years as some were made 10 years ago.

MORE TAX EVASION CHARGES: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed tax evasion charges against three officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), including a brother of the whistle-blower in the Jose Pidal scandal, for failing to properly declare their incomes and pay the right taxes to the government.

SWEETER THAN EVER: Manuel V. Pangilinan's company is offering to pay the government about P1.2 billion a year for the right to manage and collect revenues for up to 33 years from the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the Philippines' longest toll road completed in 2008. However, the generous offer is only good until 2016, coinciding with the end of the term President...For the next president in 2016, the fixed payment scheme from 2011 to 2016 may look like a sweet deal designed especially for Aquino if the government's future 20 per cent share of toll revenues continues to fall below debt service costs. Of course, if vehicular traffic exceeds break-even volumes, the BCDA under the next administration stands to earn more, apart from being able to cover its debt service payments.

HELICOPTER DEAL CRASHES: The Philippine government said it had cancelled a 73 million dollar deal to buy military helicopters following allegations of collusion with a Polish defense contractor.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS" = "HAPPY BRIBE" IN AIRPORT: Airport immigration officials in the Philippines have been ordered not to say "Merry Christmas" to arriving passengers. But that command is not an example political correctness run amuck. Instead, it's because Philippines officials fear that such a greeting might be construed as solicitation for a bribe or cash. The Associated Press writes "it is a tradition in the Philippines for children to offer Christmas wishes to solicit gifts from godparents and relatives. The practice has been hijacked by corrupt officials who sometimes use it as code for extortion requests."

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S AN IMPORTED FIRE TRUCK: The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said that it is planning to procure imported fire trucks with a specific requirement of a power take off (PTO) driven fire pump. But an anti-corruption watchdog sees smoke rising from the planned purchase, and smells a sweetheart deal being cooked. In a media forum held in Manila, Mike Domingo, convenor of the People for Empowerment and Truth, has described the plan to procure the imported fire trucks as illegal, anti-Filipino and smacks of colonial mentality. Domingo said that the plan violates the law and is anti-Filipino because the specific requirement of a PTO driven fire pump, which is of foreign design, automatically bars and purposely excludes local manufacturers from participating in the intended procurement, he said.

NEW RULE: NO HANGING OUT >>> The Bureau of Immigration (BI) Monday banned officials and employees at its main office in Intramuros, Manila from hanging out in nearby coffee shops and restaurants during office hours as part of its reform agenda. BI officer-in-charge Ronaldo, in a memorandum order, prohibited immigration personnel from hanging out in coffee shops and restaurants during office hours following reports that some of these employees were using the establishments to meet, discuss or engage in shady deals involving the bureau.

CONTRACTOR GETS BIGGER FEE FOR LESS WORK: Amendments in the supply contract for the North Luzon Railway (Northrail), former President Gloria Arroyo's biggest planned infrastructure project, have increased to $1.8 billion the cost to complete the 80-kilometer rail link between Manila and Central Luzon, potentially making it the most expensive government project since the mothballed $6 billion nuclear power plant in Bataan. In the new book "The Seven Deadly Deals: Can Aquino Fix Arroyo's Legacy of Costly and Messy Projects?" Newsbreak reveals that the new figure is half a billion US dollars more than the $1.3 billion cost announced by government officials last year when they approved an increase in the cost of the project.

SENATE SUBPOENA'S DEVELOPER: The Senate has issued a subpoena on property developer Globe Asiatique chairman and president Delfin Lee, summoning him to a hearing on the housing loan mess involving Pag-IBIG Fund and his company.

	President Benigno Aquino III, reacting sharply to a Supreme Court rebuke, slammed "those pretending" to be deaf and blind, and warned he would not allow them to get in the way of his campaign against corruption. Washington Post AQUINO LASHES COURT OVER TRUTH COMMISSION DECISION President Benigno Aquino III lashed out Wednesday at a Supreme Court decision rejecting an investigative body he created to look into alleged corruption during his predecessor's administration, vowing his anti-graft battle would not be deterred by the setback. The Supreme Court declared on Tuesday that Aquino's first executive order that created a "Truth Commission" was unconstitutional because it unfairly singled out his predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's government for a wide-ranging corruption investigation. A majority of the justices on the 15-member tribunal were appointed by Arroyo, who left office in June. The decision sends a signal that large-scale corruption pays, an irate Aquino said. "Everybody will now be tempted because you can steal these gargantuan amounts of money and you can smile your way to the bank and enjoy your loot out of people's misery," Aquino told a televised news conference... TRUTH COMMISSION "UNCONSTITUTIONAL": The Philippine Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional the President's creation of a commission to investigate corruption allegations against his predecessor. In a 10-5 vote, the court ruled that the executive order that created the Philippine Truth Commission Mr. Aquinos first such order after taking office on June 30 violated the Constitution's equal protection clause because it singled out the former President. . TRACE GRAFT BACK AS FAR AS AGUINALDO: A Palace official said the Office of the President is open to a proposal to revise Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission instead of filing a motion for reconsideration. In an interview with dzMM, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Eduardo de Mesa said a reading of the Supreme Court decision on EO 1 shows that it supports the President's power to create a truth commission. "The only complaint is why the investigation is limited to the past administration. If that is the only thing wrong, one suggestion is we can just expand it and include all past administrations all the way to General Emilio Aguinaldo," he said. MIXED REACTIONS: SC decision on 'Truth Commission' draws mixed reactions from lawmakers RULING A "TEMPORARY SETBACK, WILL BE APPEALED: Malacanang called the Supreme Court decision declaring the creation of the Truth Commission unconstitutional a "temporary setback" in its efforts to look into and put closure to scandals of corruption that hounded the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Palace was "disappointed" with the high court decision that declared unconstitutional the first executive order issued by President Aquino since assuming power five months ago. Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said they will be appealing the ruling. . PALACE PONDERS NEXT STEP TO PURSUE CORRUPT: Malacañang is determined to go after officials of the Arroyo administration accused of corruption and wrongdoing. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the government will explore other options within the bounds of law to try and punish those who have enriched themselves while in office. SOLONS: DOJ CAN CARRY ON >>> Even without the Truth Commission the Aquino administration can still prosecute former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo through the Department of Justice, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said... While Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said all is not lost, the Aquino administration can utilize the DOJ to investigate irregular transactions, especially in the departments of agriculture and public works and highways. . DAVIDE NOT QUITTING: Retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. was undaunted by the decision of the Supreme Court declaring the creation of the Truth Commission as unconstitutional. Davide said he would not resign as the head of the commission since the ruling was not yet final. TRUTH CAN'T BE STOPPED: "You cannot stop the truth from coming out. If it doesn't come out in the truth commission, it will still come out one way or another." Carlos Medina, a member of the Philippine Truth Commission that the Supreme Court knocked down as unconstitutional in a ruling announced Tuesday, said this and summed up the reaction of Aquino administration stalwarts. . REFORM SETACK, RULING TO BE APPEALED: Malacañang said the Supreme Court's (SC) declaration that the Truth Commission was unconstitutional sets back the Aquino administration's effort to institute reforms. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Malacañang will file a motion for reconsideration within 15 days after receiving the decision, which Malacañang has yet to receive a copy of. The Truth Commission is the body that was tasked to investigate the alleged corruption and cheating scandals that hounded the nine-year Arroyo administration. The commission head was former SC Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. "Our position is that the EO 1, the Truth Commission, is constitutional and this is a genuine difference of opinion with the Supreme Court. Be that as it may, we will file our motion for reconsideration to convince the Supreme Court of the strength of our position," he said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

OMBUDSMAN URGED TO RESOLVE GRAFT CASE: The Office of the Ombudsman is being asked to resolve the graft case and other criminal complaints filed against former Palawan Vice Gov. David Ponce De Leon and five others which were filed in 2002 and 2003. The main complaint accuses them of allegedly falsifying official receipts for reimbursement of meals and snacks seven years ago. The case...stemmed from a special audit report from the Commission on Audit which supposedly uncovered alleged anomalous transactions involving reimbursement for meals and snacks by the Office of the Vice Governor using falsified receipts. The audit allegedly showed that the provincial government of Palawan was defrauded for at least P314,656.89 as receipts were altered, had insertions, and changed.

FINANCIAL TIMES: PHILIPPINES USED AS BAD EXAMPLE >>> "In many countries, forms of democracy co-exist with domination by corrupt and brutal oligarchies. One example is the Philippines, where the death rate of journalists is even higher."

ARREST WARRANT RECALL SOUGHT: The Sandiganbayan has been requested to recall the arrest warrant it issued against a former official of the Department of Finance (DoF) in connection with the P73 million tax credit certificates' scam.

CSC WORKSHOP ON GOOD GOVERNANCE: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has worked on the first phase of adopting the Performance Governance System - Balanced Scorecard (PGS-BSC), a management and performance measurement tool towards good governance...a big boost to the commissions goal to improve public service delivery and curb corruption in government.

EDUCATION SECRETARY TO STAFF:BE GOOD EXAMPLES >>> Education Secretary Armin Luistro exhorted the Department of Education (DepEd) officials and employees to always live as good examples to the people especially to the young people entrusted to their care...Secretary Luistro encouraged all teaching and non-teaching personnel to join the anti-graft and corruption prevention campaign..."We have to uphold our integrity as we push for the thrust of implementing policies that conform to the ethical standard of public service"

CUSI FACES GRAFT RAPS: THE Akbayan party-list group will file graft charges against Civil Aviation Authority Director General Alfonso Cusi before the Office of the Ombudsman...alleging...Cusi's close affiliation with Former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo is evident in the irregular deals he spearheaded in CAAP and the Manila International Airport Authority...The group claimed that he was appointed to CAAP to protect several questionable deals involving civil aviation equipment entered into by the previous administration. One of these is the $260 million Japan loan for navigation equipment.

VP's WIFE STILL IMPLICATED IN GRAFT RAPS: The wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay and her four co-accused remain implicated in two related graft charges filed before the Sandiganbayan after the said graft court denied their motions for reconsideration. Salvador Pangilinan, a present councilor of Makati City, Nicanor Santiago, former city administrator, and Ernesto Aspillaga, former head of the General Services Department, remained in the accused list after the anti-graft court's Fifth Division junked their plea to dismiss the cases against them. The respondents, together with Elenita Binay, wife of the vice president, were charged in 2006 for bypassing the bidding procedure to favor Office Gallery International Inc. in the awarding of a P72-million contract to supply the new furnishings of Makati City Hall.

COA CITES HOSPITAL DEFICIENCIES: State auditors found deficiencies in the financial management of the Talisay District Hospital (TDH) that resulted in over P200,000 in unsettled disallowances and revenue losses. The rest of the Commission on Audit (COA) 2009 report dwelt on technicalities, such as the use of "inconsistent" accounting methods, non-submission of monthly billing and other inappropriate practices in income recording. COA said the lack of supporting evidence to prove that TDH employees' incentives via the approved collective negotiation agreement (CNA) stemmed from savings of cost-cutting measures.

COA: RONDA CASH ADVANCES ILLEGAL >>> More than P4 million in cash advances remain unliquidated in Ronda, southern Cebu, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). Moreover, the Municipal Government of Ronda granted cash advances to officials and employees despite their failure to liquidate previous cash advances. Worse, cash advances were released to job order employees and contractual workers.

COA ASKED TO REVIEW ALL HOUSING PROJECTS: A leading non-government organization (NGO) in Bataan has asked the Commission on Audit (CoA) to review all housing projects initiated by local government units in the country to prevent a repetition of similar irregularities CoA unearthed in the implementation of a subdivision project by the province.

NBI INVESIGATOR WILLING TO FACE OMBUDSMAN PROBE: A NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) special investigator is willing to undergo a "lifestyle check" should the anti-graft office require it. NBI 7 special agent Arnel Pura said whether he likes it or not, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas can conduct a lifestyle check on him should the complaint against him gain ground. Modesta Maglasang had filed a letter complaint against Pura with the anti-graft office over allegations he allegedly amassed a huge amount of wealth in cash, cars and properties, which he couldn't afford with his salary as an NBI 7 agent.

CONGRESSMAN'S LIFESTYLE QUESTIONED: Self-styled whistleblower Crisologo Saavedra urged the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to conduct a lifestyle check on Cebu third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, the brother of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia...The businessman asked the anti-graft office to investigate and verify the alleged assets of the congressman. These include the mansion built beside Guadalupe Heights Subdivision in Cebu City paid P7 million to homeowners association to use the right of way for life; fishpond property between Toledo City and Pinamungajan; ownership of Blue Ocean Restaurant and Bar in Lahug, Cebu City and ownership of more or less five high-end expensive cars, one of them a black Hummer.

SUBDIVION RESIDENTS ASK OMBUDSMAN TO HELP: Residents of Camella Homes Subdivision Phase 1 in Lapu-Lapu City, plagued by their drainage problem for sixteen years now, are turning to the Ombudsman for help. Chona Ada said the management of the subdivision has not taken steps to address the problem. Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago told reporters that she wore boots when she went to the place two years ago because the water was knee-deep. Santiago said the problem can be traced to small pipes used for the drainage and that garbage also blocks the flow of water.

DANISH EMBASSY WEBSITE: AQUINO NOT CORRUPT >>> Aquino's effort to eliminate corruption as the rule of conduct in the political system in the Philippines is therefore even more admirable. A president labelled as incorruptible is inspiring in this effort, and gives high hopes that changes in the political structures in the Philippines can happen at last. Aquino is likened to Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister of Singapore (1959-1990), who led his country from poverty to prosperity, as being "incorruptible." Wilson Lee, one of the founders of the Anvil Business Club, said, that like famous leader Lee Kuan Yew who transformed Singapore into an economic superpower, Aquino could do the same to the Philippines, because the two leaders share several similarities.

QUESTIONED: P200m ADDED TO AURORA BUDGET >>> Senator Edgardo Angara came under fire for diverting budget funding to an economic zone controlled by his family, but his son dismissed the criticism saying it was natural for politicians to want to improve their bailiwicks...Earlier, Senator Sergio Osmeña III attacked Angara, citing the "moral hazard" of his actions given that his congressman son and his sister, Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, both sat on the board of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone Authority...groups opposed to the Aurora economic zone wrote President Benigno Aquino III asking him to suspend the release of the authority's budget until the issues raised against it were resolved. They said the law establishing the special zone was enacted without consulting some 3,000 families who would lose their homes and livelihood as a result of the project. The P650 million in additional funding was provided the zone without an audit of the P150 million that was released earlier. The economic zone was a "virtual republic" of the Angaras, where the affected people were powerless, the groups said.

CIVIL SERVICE ADOPTS PERFORMANCE GOVERNANCE: The Civil Service Commission has adopted the Performance Governance System / Balanced Scorecard (PGS-BSC) a management and performance measurement tool towards good governance. To this end, the CSC officials and rank and file recently underwent a PGS Initiation Working Session, where they revisited the organizations existing core values, vision and mission statement and assessed how these can be translated to strategic commitments and initiatives.

LGU/NGA PERFORMANCE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM (PGS): ...aims at high levels of achievement in all facets and levels of operations of the LGU or NGA. Financial results are given their due importance; but non-financial results are heavily emphasized as critical and essential to the achievement of financial results. The PGS demands a cultural transformation for the sustainability of the results achieved...

HIGH COURT UPHOLDS GRAFT RAPS VS TWO EX-PETRON EXECS: The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the petition of two former officials of oil giant Petron Corp. to dismiss the 18 counts of graft filed against them in connection with the multimillion tax credit certificate (TCC) scam.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION: The Department of Education, in its effort to strengthen good governance in carrying out its mandate of making quality basic education accessible to Filipinos, has issued A MEMORANDUM to encourage all teaching and non-teaching personnel to join the anti-graft and corruption prevention campaign this December. "We have to uphold our integrity as we push for the thrust of implementing policies that conform to the ethical standard of public service," said Education Secretary Armin Luistro. The seminar, organized by the Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values (CRFV), an Anti-Corruption Unit of the Office of the Ombudsman, aims to raise public awareness on the evils of corruption and the means of fighting the same. It also wants to create a network of vanguards who will act as "eyes" and "ears" of the Office of the Ombudsman and Transparency International and to establish grievance centers or public assistance centers. Also, the event seeks to ensure and broaden citizen community-based participation in the drive against corruption and inefficiency in the government

MINDANAU ACCOUNTABILITY CONFAB: The Mindanao State University (MSU) Historical Society, Supreme Student Government, and College Editors Guild of the Philippines - Lanao Chapter in collaboration with the Healing Democracy Project conducted yesterday a campus forum on accountability as an indicator of good governance.

DAVAO GOVERNMENT ETHICS SEMINAR: Bent on promoting a high standard of ethics in public service, the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte treated its executives to a refresher seminar on professionalism and ethical leadership.

FOR FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION: Palace confers Legion of Honor on Solarz >>> Aquino said the award was given to Solarz "in appreciation for his solidarity with the Filipino people, as they fought to restore democracy, and his sustained interest and support for the Philippines in the years since the Edsa Revolution"...During US Congressional hearings, Solarz accused Marcos of running a "kleptocracy" and enriching himself and his wife at the expense of his country's citizens.

POPE TO BISHOPS: "...you are rightly concerned that there be an on-going commitment to the struggle against corruption, since the growth of a just and sustainable economy will only come about when there is a clear and consistent application of the rule of law throughout the land,"

SENATOR ANGARA: NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN APECO: I object to insinuations of "conflict of interest" in supporting government initiatives in my home province Aurora, particularly the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco). There is no conflict of interest on the presence of Angaras in the Apeco board. Being governor and Aurora congressman respectively, Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and Juan Edgardo Angara are on the Apeco Board by virtue of law, in their official capacity. This is the same case in all other ecozones, where the top local officials sit on the board...

CITY TREASURER WENT ABROAD 49 TIMES: The Parañaque City treasurer who went abroad 49 times from 1997 to 2008 despite drawing a monthly salary of only P25,000 has flunked the government's lifestyle check...

EX-FINANCE EXEC CHARGED WITH PLUNDER: A former deputy director of the Department of Finance (DOF) was brought to the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday after he was arrested for plunder. Uldarico Andutan Jr. was apprehended by members of the Aviation Security Group-6 on November 8 at the Iloilo Airport. He is accused of using his former position to amass over P73 million for 3 years. Andutan allegedly approved the spurious tax credit applications of Filstar Textile Industrial Corp even if the company was not entitled to it.

DILG TO LGUS: POST DEALS TO WEB >>> THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded mayors and governors to post their budgets and transactions in their websites so the public may know about and comment on these. Speaking before an Association of Government Information Officers forum, DILG 7 Director Pedro Noval said the posting of budgets for projects in websites is mandated in Memorandum Circular 2010-184, on the "full disclosure of financial transactions."

BANK TO TURN OVER GEN. GARCIA DEPOSITS: Planters Development Bank (PDB) has informed the Sandiganbayan Second Division that it is ready to turnover deposits in a bank account allegedly owned by the family of retired Major Gen. Carlos F. Garcia, former comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), who is facing criminal and forfeiture charges before the graft court

SUBPOENA SECRETARY?: A Palace official advised yesterday the House committee investigating the controversial P10-billion Poverty Eradication and Alleviation Certificate (PEACe) bonds to subpoena Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman so she would be compelled to attend the hearings on the issue. "If its a subpoena from the House, you certainly cannot refuse to honor the subpoena," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters. Soliman earlier snubbed an invitation to attend a hearing by the House committee on good government and public accountability on the alleged irregularities. But she wrote a letter pointing out that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had nothing to do with the 10-year zero-coupon bond sale by the Caucus of NGO Networks (Code-NGO), a group that Soliman used to head...

PARAÑAQUE TREASURER RIPPED: The Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) of the Department of Finance filed criminal and administrative charges with the Office of the Ombudsman against Jesusa Enriquez Cuneta, City Treasurer of Parañaque City for alleged multiple violations of R.A. 3019 Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and R.A. 6713 Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Through the initiative of RIPS, the City Treasurer of Parañaque was found to have manipulated the true nature and extent of her fortunes. Her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth (SALNs) demonstrated a systematic pattern of misrepresentation and evasion for the purpose of concealing any illegitimate acquisitions of wealth.

SECRETARY ROBREDO URGES BARANGAYS TO SEEK "GOOD GOVERNANCE": Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo urged newly-installed barangay officials to promote and practice good governance during their incumbency. Robredo made the call as more than 336,000 elected barangay officials nationwide assumed their respective positions to begin their three-year term of office. In a directive he issued to all city, municipal mayors and punong barangays, Robredo noted the qualities that barangays should adopt in promoting and sustaining good governance including transparency, responsiveness, accountability and participation...To further promote transparency, barangays should post in conspicuous places their itemized monthly collections and disbursements, annual summary of income and expenditures in order to show how much and for what specific purposes barangay funds were spent.

US CONGRESSMAN WHO HELPED EXPOSE MARCOS DIES: Former US Congressman Stephen Solarz, known for his role in exposing the corruption of the Marcoses, died on Monday in Washington DC. In the 1980s, he headed the Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee of the US House's Foreign Affairs Committee, where he led a series of hearings on the Philippines. The 1986 hearings revealed the misuse of foreign aid by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, his extensive wealth as well as the disclosure of Imelda Marcos's 3,000 pairs of shoes. Solarz was once referred to by the late former President Corazon Aquino as the "Lafayette of the Philippines." The comparison to the French general, who helped American revolutionaries in their quest for independence from Britain, was made at the time the Philippines was under the Marcos regime. At the height of martial law, when US support for the Marcos regime was unquestioned, he was one of the few lonely voices who stood behind the democratic forces opposed to the regime.

PURISIMA CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY: Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima used the success of the government's thrust toward Public-Private Partnerships to call for continued "daylight" in government, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability to establish reforms that will restore the people's trust in institutions.

Ombudsman seeks return of general's ill-gotten wealth: The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has asked the United States the return of the $100,000 it forfeited from two sons of Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, former comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Congressman accuses assistant ombudsman of leaking report on Balili deal: The ombudsman's office found basis to upgrade into a criminal investigation an anonymous complaint filed against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. and the Provincial Board over the purchase of the property. The 31-page final evaluation report said Governor Garcia should be investigated for entering into a contract "which is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government."

GENERAL GARCIA'S SONS SENTENCED: A United States District Court has sentenced to time served the two sons of a retired Philippine military general who were accused of smuggling $100,000 into the United States seven years ago...The siblings had pleaded guilty to bulk cash smuggling charges two months ago, which meant they admitted smuggling $100,000 into the US on a flight from Manila in December 2003.

Senate streams sessions online: The online broadcasts, which began this week, are also part of the 5-month-old government's aggressive use of the Internet and social networking media to engage the public and help it fight corruption. Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who convinced the upper house of parliament to stream its proceedings online, at www.senate.gov.ph, said the webcasts would allow the public to monitor public hearings on the proposed 2011 budget. "Our aim is to provide the public... accurate information, transparency and accountability.... this is also aligned with the goals of the Aquino administration in having the public participate in governance."

HOW TO AVOID PROSECUTION: Corruption thrives in this country because we do not punish the criminals. Most of us know how corrupt officials get away with their thievery, yet we either ignore the existence of these schemes, or accept them as a way of life.

ETHICAL BASIS OF POLICY-MAKING...it would be naive to think that corruption exists only in government. It is almost as pervasive in the private sector. As the saying goes, there would be no bribe-takers in government if there were no bribe-givers from business institutions. Many social-minded critics of Philippine culture actually believe that predilection for promoting self-interest is most deeply ingrained among the most fervent believers of free-enterprise capitalism. Anti-corruption programs are actually counter-productive when they result in paralysis of the bureaucracy. Graft-free public works agencies would be useless if no infrastructures are ever built. Cleansing the tax-collecting mechanisms would do no good if revenues were not generated. A virtuous but ineffective security apparatus would not serve the interests of communities that are left unprotected.

GOV'T HAS ENOUGH POWER TO GO AFTER ARROYO: The DoJ can create a special task force under a courageous and no-nonsense chief, supported by additional funds, personnel and office space, to gather evidence against the suspects. Without the additional rigmarole that could have tied up the Truth Commission, the task force will be able to work swiftly and efficiently to build up the appropriate cases, file them in the proper courts and vigorously prosecute the accused...

	AQUINO ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN CALLED INEFFECTIVE  BASED ON TI SURVEY CAGAYAN DE ORO, DECEMBER 13, 2010 (CBCP NEWS) The Aquino administration’s fight against corruption has been found ineffective especially since most Filipinos said that the most corrupt institutions are political parties and the Philippine National Police (PNP). [See note below in red] The 2010 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB), which was released by Transparency International (TI), showed that 48 percent of respondents in the Philippines said that the government was ineffective in its anti-corruption campaign. Twenty-eight (28) percent of the respondents also said the government was effective; while 24 percent said it was neither ineffective nor effective. The 2010 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) survey, which was conducted from June 21 to July 7, 2010, [NOTE: President Aquino was inaugurated June 30 while the survey was underway, thus it could not have rated his administration] ranked political parties and the PNP as the No. 1 most corrupt institutions in the Philippines, with an average score of 3.6 each. The Philippine legislature and public officials/public servants shared second place in the most corrupt Philippine institutions, with 3.5 points each. The third placer is the judiciary, with a score of 3.1. Institutions which got a score lower than 3 were the military and private sector with a score of 2.9; education system, 2.7; non-government organizations, 2.4; media, 2; and religious bodies, 1.9. The GCB asked the respondents to give a score of from 1 to 5, 1for not corrupt at all while 5 for extremely corrupt, to 11 institutions—political parties, police, legislature, public officials/civil servants, judiciary, military, private sector, education system, nongovernment organizations, media and religious bodies. The scores were then averaged and the highest averages were deemed the most corrupt institutions. The GCB survey also showed that 69 percent of those surveyed or 1,000 respondents said that corruption increased in the past three years. Twenty-five (25) percent of those surveyed said corruption levels have remained the same while 6 percent said corruption decreased in the past three years.  The GCB survey also showed that about 16 percent of those surveyed admitted that they paid a bribe to any public services providers in the past 12 months. The 2010 GCB examined bribery when people had contact with customs, education, the judiciary, land-related services, medical services, the police, registry and permit services, tax authorities and utilities... Click here to read full article from News Flash (CBCP News)

SURRENDER NOT AN OPTION: One of the country's best legal minds told me that even if there is a new Ombudsman and the Supreme Court is not seen as an Arroyo court, it would still require a lot of painstaking work to build airtight cases against people believed to have benefited from corruption in the previous administration. Authentic documents must be unearthed, especially where money is involved, the lawyer pointed out. The degree of involvement of every accused individual must be reliably established. People accused of high-level corruption do not intend to get caught. They either have the brains or can afford to hire the best brains to cover their tracks. A government that is bent on going after these people should be prepared for a rough battle, with sufficient ammunition to send offenders behind bars.

NOT THE END OF THE ROAD: Among the arguments against EO No. 1 is that the power to create the truth body lies in Congress. Malacañang should also be open to the idea that this argument is valid, and try tapping the legislature for a second stab at creating a truth commission. Some congressional leaders have expressed openness to the idea. The defeat of EO No. 1 before the Supreme Court should not be seen as the defeat of the anti-corruption campaign. This is not the end of the road, but just a major hurdle along a tortuous path.

LETTER: I would like to suggest to the Office of the President and his communications team that the resumés or CVs of all government appointees be published online, perhaps on the website of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) so every Filipino will be able to see the qualifications of the appointees...

OF PYGMIES & HORSES: EO 1 violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution. Admittedly, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's administration was corrupt, but why single her out when other administrationslike Joseph Estrada's was just as corrupt? Even during the time of President Aquino's mother, Cory, some of her underlings and relatives were allegedly so corrupt they earned the title "Kamag-anak Inc."... >>> A former official of the Bureau of Customs has allegedly sought the help of a law partner of a top government official to get back his lucrative post in the bureau...eased out of the customs bureau...there are stories that this man was so corrupt he was able to accumulate...over 100 race horses, each costing no less than a million pesos?

INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY: As we call for a strong political will on the part of our government to eliminate corruption, we as citizens have the corresponding responsibility to supplement the effort by refusing to pay bribes to "cut corners" to get the services or documents we may need. If the current administration asserts that "Pag walang corrupt, walang mahirap (there will be no poor if there are no corrupt individuals)," it can also be said that "Kung walang magbabayad, walang corrupt (there will be no corrupt individuals if no one will bribe them)."

The road toward meeting people's expectations has been littered with major stumbling blocks. The latest serious blow came as the world prepared to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, when the Supreme Court threw out the presidential order creating the Truth Commission...The missing element in the past was political will. Now that the element is in place, the anti-corruption campaign should not be derailed by temporary setbacks.

DESPERATE FOR HOPE: Because Filipinos have become used to corrupt governance, they have developed a high tolerance for it. Politicians and bureaucrats are expected to be corrupt, even under a P-Noy administration. It could be that people really want honesty and decency to return to governance, but they are still willing to be tolerant if change does not come quickly. What is disastrous is if P-Noy himself turns dishonest, or becomes corrupt and a liar. The contrast, then, between a discredited Gloria would disappear. P-Noy's connection to the honesty of Cory Aquino would also be broken. The net effect would be a severe frustration and resentment that can make P-Noy more unpopular than Gloria ever was. Thank goodness, though, that P-Noy's character is not very vulnerable to corruption and insincerity. The deep influence of his parents and Noynoy Aquino's personal fidelity to them are powerful factors that shield P-Noy from easily succumbing to the dark forces that tempt people of power. What can blindside P-Noy would be trusting the untrustworthy and keeping these close to him to the point that the people would see him in them and them in him. It is Ninoy and Cory Aquino that people see in P-Noy. It would be dangerous if lesser mortals would replace his parents as the most influential to P-Noy, and fatal if these lesser mortals are thieves and liars. P-Noy has become a symbol of hope to the majority of the Filipino people.

ELIMINAING CORRUPTION: It is now up to the honest and competent government officials to make sure that the taxes are actually collected and used to improve the economic conditions of the poor, especially in more efficient rural infrastructures, high-quality public education and health services for the children of the poor, social housing program, and technical training in TESDA-related schools, among others. In a dialogue with the Makati Business Club, Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima estimated that the country is losing about P250 billion a year in failed tax collections. This is a figure that updates a previous study of the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, which put the loss revenues through tax evasion by the private sector (in collusion with corrupt BIR and Customs officials) at P200 billion. Add to this the estimated P200 billion of funds that have been allocated for public goods and services (such as roads, bridges, fertilizers, textbooks, etc.) that are diverted to the pockets and bank accounts of corrupt government officials...

ELECTORAL CORRUPTION: "The use of money, most of it government money diverted for partisan purposes, is a big problem in elections. It also fuels warlordism, vote-buying and the corruption of election officials. We thought that former President Ferdinand Marcos was the pits in that regard. But it has become worse. It has been democratized through a patronage and "pork-barrel" system, and even from leakages in the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) down to the barangay (village). Only a massive and uncompromising campaign, with the Comelec as a key enforcer, can stop this practice. If the Aquino administration's fight against corruption is for real, it should put this reform on top of its agenda." - By Christian S. Monsod, Former Chairman Commission On Elections, in The Manila Times