All institutions are prone to corruption and to the vices of their members.
– Morris West (Australian Novelist 1916-1999)
Here is an interesting BBC news item, we hope the Philippine leadership take note and act upon speedily as would any upcoming Presidential hopeful in 2016!
Despite President Aquino making his own comments about the Catholic Church in the Philippines, more importantly, the Pork Barrel PPAF, Napoles etc scandals still persist despite promises from Filipino leaders to deal with!
We hope His Holiness’s words will be heeded !
Pope Francis urges Philippine Government Leaders To End Corruption
Pope Francis urges Philippine Government Leaders To End Corruption
Pope Francis travelled to Manila’s Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in his ‘Popemobile’ on Friday
Pope Francis has urged Philippine leaders to end “scandalous social inequalities” and corruption during a welcome ceremony in Manila.
On the first full day of his five-day visit, he called for politicians to show commitment to the “common good”.
But President Benigno Aquino responded that many Catholic clergy had been silent about the abuses conducted under former President Gloria Arroyo.
And he said some clergymen were now too quick to criticise him.
“In contrast to their previous silence, some members of the clergy now seem to think that the way to be true to the faith means finding something to criticise,” he said.
“Even to the extent that one prelate admonished me to do something about my hair, as if it were a mortal sin.”
The pontiff arrived in the majority Catholic country on Thursday and is due to travel to the typhoon-hit city of Tacloban on Saturday.
The centre-piece of his visit is an open-air Mass in Manila on Sunday, which is expected to attract millions.
The Pope is on a six-day tour of Asia. Earlier in the week he visited Sri Lanka.
‘Voice of the poor’
The Pope received a rapturous reception as he arrived in Manila
Speaking at a welcome ceremony in the presidential palace, Pope Francis called for leaders “to reject every form of corruption, which diverts resources from the poor”.
He said it was a Christian duty to “break the bonds of injustice and oppression which give rise to glaring, and indeed scandalous, social inequalities”.
The Philippines, like many countries in Asia, has corruption issues.
Corruption activist group Transparency International put the Philippines at 85 in its latest Corruption Perceptions Index, level with India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Under Mr Aquino, the Philippines’ record has slowly improved.
Mr Aquino suggested the Church had not done enough to fight corruption under Mrs Arroyo, who is facing charges of plundering state funds and election fixing.
“There was a true test of faith when many members of the Church, once advocates for the poor, the marginalised, and the helpless, suddenly became silent in the face of the previous administration’s abuses, which we are still trying to rectify to this very day,” Mr Aquino said.
Many people began waiting outside the cathedral in Manila for the Mass in the early hours of Friday
President Benigno Aquino (R) hosted a welcome ceremony for the Pope at the presidential palace on Friday.
GlobalGranary would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for visiting us here, especially those regular visitors – we appreciate your patronage.
We hope more of you will become regulars. We had over 250,000 visitors from 209 nations around the globe in 2013, quite amazing and humbling.
We will continue to try and post interesting, varied and topical articles/blogs etc., some have provoked comments that we are most happy to receive and we will answer. More comments are always welcome. If you have something you think should be blogged, please let us know we will endeavor to do so.
Some of our blogs have proved controversial and have been in some way part of a larger campaign in highlighting injustice and corruption. Most particularly, the Philippine Pork Barrel (PDAF) and Napoles corruption scandals.
Our Blogs among others have pushed this sorry situation to be investigated and reviewed at the highest levels. As a result, we hope that the government of the Philippines keeps its promises to ensure that new systems and process for much needed public funding will make sure this funding gets to where it is needed the most and it is more transparent & accountable to the people who have put their trust (and votes!) in these officials.
But is it you the good visitors to GlobalGranary, reading these blogs and sometimes commenting, who have shown that your collective power has been noticed by those who need to know, again thank you.
Please continue to visit and comment 🙂
May 2014 be the best year yet for everyone. We hope your troubles and concerns are left behind with the passing year.
The most likely suspect of the mysterious Ma’am Arlene was allegedly one called Arlene Lerma, the éminence grise of the judiciary. Lerma, though she doesn’t hold office at the judiciary, is known to exercises power and influence. Lerma is said to be in very friendly terms with judges and justices. These J&Js are for sale. With enough money to grease palms, verdicts can be facilitated in favour of Lerma’s moneyed clients. Justice can be a total joke and can be subjective. If you have enough money and knows Lerma and has her connections, you can dance around the laws of the land!
Just like those many before her( many she was the go between for) Lerma and her corrupt-a-minute transactions will probably not land her in jail because of her connections.
But know this Lerma, you are now out of the shadow!!!
MA’AM ARLENE’S ‘AMIGAS’ Arlene Angeles Lerma (in pink circle), alleged fixer in the judiciary, joins last year’s retirement party for a court official with members of the judiciary. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A Supreme Court insider has identified the so-called “Ma’am Arlene” who was earlier described as “the Janet Lim-Napoles of the judiciary” for allegedly influencing court decisions in favor of her clients with huge payoffs to judges and justices.
The source said the alleged “decision-broker” in the judiciary was none other than Arlene Angeles Lerma.
Lerma is known to most of members of the judiciary, according to the Inquirer source who asked not to be identified for lack of authority to speak to the media.
The media earlier reported that there were three Arlenes who showered members of the judiciary with gifts and cash.
The source was among those called by the Supreme Court committee under Associate Justice Marvic Leonen investigating corruption in the judiciary.
“We know her because she also attends parties for retired judges and events, but she is not a member of the judiciary,” the source said.
The Supreme Court insider said he overheard Lerma in one party for members of the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) saying “Iniwan ko na yung pang raffle (I left something for the raffle).”
Lerma came with Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso to the PJA party, the source said.
The source said Lerma was close to retired Deputy Court Administrator (DCA) Antonio Eugenio Jr., a former Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge.
TROs
RTC judges and Court of Appeals justices are known to issue temporary restraining orders (TRO) that adversely affect or benefit litigants. There are reports that these TROs can be bought.
The source confirmed that the photo obtained by Inquirer was taken at the retirement party of Eugenio last year.
“The party was attended by judges and DCAs and she (Lerma) was there,” he said.
Two-time PJA president
He said Lerma was a strong supporter of Eugenio who served as a two-time PJA president when he was a regional trial court judge.
The source described as “unprecedented” Eugenio’s feat as two-time PJA president.
Lerma’s name cropped up as the “influential person” during the recent election for PJA president in October.
Lerma allegedly bankrolled the election of PJA officers and held parties for members of the judiciary.
Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez, who conducted an initial investigation of the alleged vote-buying in the PJA election, earlier said he had asked the three candidates vying for the leadership of the PJA to explain allegations of irregularities during the election.
The PJA candidates for president were Judge Ralph Lee of Quezon City (who won the presidency), Judge Rommel Baybay of Makati City and Judge Felix Reyes of Marikina City.
Hotel bookings, trips
Arlene reportedly booked 50 rooms in a high-class hotel for the judges and their spouses during the election and gave expensive bags and trips overseas as gifts.
Marquez has issued a circular reminding judges to conduct themselves properly during PJA elections and listed prohibited acts.
Isko kid’s godmother
Domagoso acknowledged that he knew Lerma, a godmother of one of his children.
“I never denied it. She’s my friend. She’s my neighbor in Balut, Tondo,” the vice mayor told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
Asked if he went with her to a party of the PJA, he said, “many times.”
He said he knew Lerma as an “ordinary, simple woman” who is a sister of a barangay chair.
“She has no business. She’s employed in a company,” Domagoso said.
He couldn’t recall her specific job and company.
Asked if he was aware of the alleged case-fixing activities of Lerma, Domagoso said, “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t know that’s she’s into [case] fixing. I have a high respect for the members of the judiciary. I don’t think that is happening nowadays.”
Lerma has been likened to Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam. Napoles, along with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, and other lawmakers, has been charged with plunder and malversation in the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly pocketing millions of pesos from the Priority Development Assistance Fund, a pork barrel.
Janet Lim-Napoles is the most talked about woman in recent months in the Philippines.
She has also associated her high spending (on others money) daughter Jeanne (Napoles) with this scandal.
She has become the core of the pork barrel scandal involving P10Billion of monies from the Philippine treasury.
Her lavish lifestyle shows how much monies were involved.
Who is Janet Lim-Napoles?
How did she end-up being the Mama San of Philippine Politics? How can a woman running a carinderia/turo-turo became so mega-rich and powerful that she rubbed shoulders, and elbows as well, with the Philippine Government elites?
We shall endeavour to look into her background but I am at work so we’ll postpone it a little bit. LOL
But do feel free to post comments and additional information.
The Pork barreled Philippines have been nurturing porcine creatures who have turned into swines. And yet hardly anything is being done to cull these animals that stalk the corridors of power and replace with honest humans (do they exist?!!!)
There is a quote that comes to mind about the absolute greed of these people in power in the Philippines.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”
-Lord Acton
Porcines Turn to Swines
The irony about the quote is that the men in the Philippine Government who are absolutely corrupt are not even great men. They seemed to have gone into politics with one and only one purpose, to get rich quickly and live the life of a power-mongering freeloaders. They have the open cheque books of the Government.
It seems that the Pork Barrel scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. It is minute compared to what really goes on and what money exchange hands within the Government, between husbands and wives in politics, as an example. Totally shocking. No wonder, Philippines did not jump into the application of the Freedom of Information; there were just too much dirt and salacious goings-on within the walls of the PNoy Government to be found.
The Napoles scandal has turned into a mini extravaganza. Instead of Janet being cupped and thrown into jail in total humiliation and her monies and properties confiscated, she was hailed as a VIP not only by her cohorts in the Government but by PNoy himself and his chief of staff. All of them seem to know Janet Napoles quite intimately. Janet dictates her terms.
Shame on the lot of you.
Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, Gabriela Silang and many more heroes, the known and the faceless, did not die for freedom so Filipinos are ruled by the most greedy, ineffective officials like you.
Karma appears to be swooping down on Senate President Franklin Drilon and Department of Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, as well as his wife, incumbent Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad, as they now face numerous plunder complaints filed against them again.
The latest batch of plunder complaints against them was filed yesterday before the Office of the Ombudsman, coming from a former Iloilo congressman and director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Former Rep. Augusto Syjuco, in his plunder complaint filed before the anti-graft office, claimed that Drilon had used government funds through the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to allegedly bribe senators to vote for a guilty verdict during the impeachment trial of then Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
The plunder suit against the Abads and Drilon also concerns the alleged questionable release of funds for a project in the province.
Syjuco claimed that Senate president Drilon and the Abads had violated provisions under the anti-graft laws and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
As a result, he urged Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to immediately order their preventive suspension and “conduct the necessary action on the matter leading to the immediate filing of criminal and administrative cases against them.”
It is, however, doubted that the plunder complaints against Drilon and the Abads will ever reach the Sandiganbayan, as they are close allies of President Aquino.
Philippines is an appointee of Aquino and does not have a track record of elevating cases against the allies of the President and focuses instead on complaints against the foes of Aquino, immediately finding “probable cause” against them and elevates the same to the anti-graft court, despite a lack of strong evidence.
On the first complaint, Syjuco alleged that Drilon gave P70-million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the Iloilo Esplanade I project.
The complaint read: “Adding altogether the construction of the retaining wall, slope protection, landscaping and amenities to complete the Iloilo Esplanade I is overwhelmingly incredible. This P70-million Iloilo Esplanade I project is absolutely a windfall to the pocket of respondent (Sen.) Franklin Magtunao Drilon.”
While the Esplanade 1 project had been furnished and equipped with lighting, interlocking block pavement and landscaped with ornamental plants, another P13.5 million from the senator’s PDAF was allocated for its improvement on August 2012, the ex-Tesda chief said.
“Obviously, the hasty allocation of another P13-million from the PDAF of respondent Drilon under the guise of the esplanade project is a scam to fund a non-existent project,” Syjuco said.
In a separate complaint, Syjuco said Drilon together with the Abads should be held criminally liable for the questionable release of P752.5 million to Abad’s wife, Rep. Henedina Razon-Abad, which was 10 times her regular pork barrel allocation for the lone district of Batanes.
The former Iloilo lawmaker claimed that the Budget chief provided for the release of about P1-billion which Drilon allegedly used to bribe the senators during the impeachment trial of Corona.
The complaint further read: “He (Drilon) used government funds through DAP to bribe, induce and corrupt lawmakers who, by reason of their office, can ensure the guilty verdict in the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona and such other crimes or offenses as may be warranted in the premises.”
This is not the first time Drilon was slapped with plunder charges.
In September, Syjuco filed a plunder complaint against him for alleged irregularities in the construction of the Iloilo Hall of Justice in 1992.
Earlier this month, he filed another plunder complaint against Drilon for an allegedly overpriced walkway near the Iloilo River.
In the two separate complaints, Syjuco asked the Ombudsman to prosecute the three respondents for plunder, violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. He also seeks their preventive suspension.
Drilon was accused by Syjuco for approving the release of P752.5-million to Mrs. Abad.
The former Tesda chief said it was released upon the approval of Drilon who was then chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Sometime last month, Drilon was charged with plunder, dishonesty, malversation of public funds and grave misconduct by Drilon’s former consultant, Manuel Mejorada for allegedly pocketing P60.5 million from the anomalous purchase of a 16.2-hectare property in Iloilo seven years ago and for allegedly receiving kickbacks from the 1992 construction of the Iloilo Justice Hall wherein substandard materials and equipment were used to build a structurally weak and dangerous building, the complaint stated.
Reacting to the reports on the plunder complaint by his former consultant, Drilon denied all the allegations, saying there is no truth to these charges and that “They manipulated the facts.”
In accusing Drilon of plunder, Mejorada alleged that the senator has knowledge in the overpriced purchase of land for a relocation site in Iloilo City using his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.
In the case of the three storey Iloilo Hall of Justice Drilon was accused of having used his PDAF, or pork barrel in the alleged anomalous and poor construction of the three-story Iloilo Hall of Justice using P200 million of his pork in 1991, at a time he was still the Justice Secretary of the late President Corazon Aquino.
But Syjuco who lodged the criminal complaint described the offense as a continuing crime, as Drilon is allegedly trying to hide the building’s structural defects by spending another P50 million for repairs using his PDAF allocations for 2012.
In a 28-page complaint, Syjuco said the Iloilo Hall of Justice was erected by contractor Kanlaon Builders Inc., which merely rented its license, without the conduct of a public bidding.
“During the one-year construction of the Iloilo Hall of Justice, it was marred by numerous irregularities, inconsistencies and anomalies. The apex to these irregularities, inconsistencies and anomalies resulted in the resignation of architect Fred Jurilla and project engineer Joven Dechangco Jr. before the project was completed, mainly for reasons that the contractor and sub-contractors repeatedly and manifestly deviated from following the design and specified construction methods despite frequent objections made by the designer,” Syjuco said.
“Among the violations observed by Jurilla was the use of smaller reinforcing bars. He questioned the post tensioning process used by the contractor which has undermined the structural integrity of the Iloilo Hall of Justice, specifically the post tensioning works of the building’s foundations and beam supports,” he noted.
“The contractor used a one-bagger concrete mixer during the installation of the girders and beams which are linked to the building’s foundations. The use of a one-bagger mixer has affected the consistency and uniformity in the mixing and pouring of concrete, which in turn compromised the integrity of the foundation and supports. The rough finish of the beams is also an indication that the concrete was poured in different times and mixes,” Syjuco added.
Syjuco also said that proof of the questionable structural integrity and defects of the building were revealed after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Iloilo in February 2012.
He claimed that no other building was badly damaged except for the Iloilo Hall of Justice, which was why the regional trial courts (RTC), offices of the clerks of court, Philippine Mediation Center, Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office, and the Public Attorney’s Office decided to vacate the premises.
He alleged that Drilon is now trying to fix the structure by spending another P50 million of his PDAF for repair, strengthening and bar retrofitting despite objections by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter, the New Hall of Justice Movement, judges, stakeholders and the public in general, reports at that time of plunder complaints filed said.
Meanwhile, another controversy appears to be hounding Drilon as there are questions on why he was in South Korea with Aquino during the trip.
The Palace mouthpieces were quick to defend Drilon, with Deputy presidential speaker Abigail Valte claiming that Drilon went to Korea with the President to give his thanks to that country for the Iloilo river project.
Drilon was part of the official delegation to the state visit in South Korea because he would like to personally extend his appreciation for a river project funded by the Korean government in his hometown, the Palace official on Friday said.
Drilon was the proponent of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project in Iloilo which has a counterpart funding from the Korean government.
“As a sign of appreciation, Senator Drilon became part of the delegation to convey the appreciation, the help that was extended,” Valte said in a media briefing.
Critics have questioned Drilon’s presence in the delegation for the two-day trip, as it is rare that a lawmaker has joined Aquino’s state visits.
In 2011, the Philippine and Korean governments signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the P13-billion Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project-Stage II, a priority irrigation project of the Department of Agriculture.
Pope Francis travelled to Manila’s Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in his ‘Popemobile’ on Friday
The Pope received a rapturous reception as he arrived in Manila
Many people began waiting outside the cathedral in Manila for the Mass in the early hours of Friday
President Benigno Aquino (R) hosted a welcome ceremony for the Pope at the presidential palace on Friday.
GlobalGranary would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
The Pork barreled Philippines have been nurturing porcine creatures who have turned into swines. And yet hardly anything is being done to cull these animals that stalk the corridors of power and replace with honest humans (do they exist?!!!)