Perspectives
“An Open Letter to the Filipino People” was how Carmen L. Puertollano titled her message to President Benigno Aquino III. A US agriculture department staff member for 35 years, she retired here in 2006.
We have never met Puertollano, now of Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. But a former neighbor during our Bangkok stint with the United Nations forwarded a copy of her letter. Sorry if the English translation below does not do justice to her eloquent Tagalog.
“We Filipinos are like the Israelites of Moses’ time, after their flight from Egypt. Did they thank God? No. Reklamo nang reklamo.
“The same thing is now happening to us. We should be grateful for having a President of integrity. P-Noy is not a thief. He will clean up the government and hold accountable those who robbed us blind in the last decade.
“When we voted for him, we knew what kind of a congressman and senator he was. We voted for him because there was no one else we could pick. We also saw he meant to uproot graft.
Remember, he was a reluctant candidate.
“Now, some people complain incessantly. It’s been a year since P-Noy’s election, they bleat, and ‘nothing has been done.’ Scores remain jobless. Mahal ang presyo ng bilihin at iba’t iba pa.
“That’s not Aquino’s fault. Price inflation is worldwide and cuts across borders. He has been at this job for just over a year. Give him time.
“Media reported crackdowns on graft in the Armed Forces, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the recovery of funds from thieves in the previous regime. Are these not achievements? Who among our previous presidents did this? No one!
“Thus, succeeding administrations turned to thievery with little hesitation. They tried to outdo each other in fraud. My impression is that P-Noy wants to uproot this curse.
“Are you not concerned that the life and well-being of our President is threatened by the people whose interests he has affected. Let us not fan this danger. God forbid that what happened to his father could strike him down too.
“He is laying his life on the line. We should pray that he will be given wisdom by God, as Solomon was. If there is any way we can help him, let’s help him.
“Nakakaawa na ngang tingnan si P-Noy. Dati poging-pogi. Ngayon? Pogi pa rin, pero nangayayat na, at talagang kalbo na …
“But don’t fret, Mr. President. We believe in your integrity. Filipinos who make reklamo nang reklamo can learn from their Bible what happened to carping Israelites.”
“Partial redemption” (Inquirer, 12/3/11) spoke of Rep. Mark Cojuangco going “ballistic on live TV,” Marco Antonio Luisito V. Sardillo III e-mailed. Thanks to ABS-CBN’s Karen Davila’s invitation, he heard Cojuangco’s apologia for his father Eduardo getting 16.2 million San Miguel Corp. shares, courtesy of a Supreme Court majority.
“Earlier we marched with protesting coco farmers from San Pablo,” Sardillo wrote. “We helped draft the PCGG’s bid for reconsideration. That backdrop explains why we rebutted Mark Cojuangco saying, ‘The only question remaining is what good has Danding Cojuangco done for these farmers?’ Mark mocked beggared farmers by saying his father deserved a medal. That was repulsive.
“There are noteworthy points in Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno’s dissent the interview did not have time to address. Some justices, for instance, claim there was no ‘explicit definition of ill-gotten wealth.’
“Contrary to what the ponencia wrote, there is a definition of ill-gotten wealth. Justice Sereno reminded the Court it adopted a definition of ill-gotten wealth in Republic vs Estate of Hans Menzi, penned by Justice Presbitero Velasco. Section 1 of the PCGG rules also defines ill-gotten wealth.
“Robbery through the coco levy ‘is no longer just a mere question of law or of fact, but a simple and demonstrable truth.’ The farmers had enough of us lawyers. If this fight is to succeed, our farmers must reach out to the nation and the people.”
“Local government officials keep demanding ever larger Internal Revenue Allotments,” e-mailed lawyer Carmen Montemayor of Danao City. Yet the LGUs failed to use P876.8 million available in 2010 from the 20 Percent Local Development Fund, as the column “Withered hopes” (Inquirer, 12/10/11) pointed out.
The year before, 102 LGUs idled P650.6 million. This fund is precisely designed as a safety net for the poor. That Viewpoint commentary noted: “Quick to junket or crib allowances for themselves, many local officials prove inept—or indifferent—to projects that relieve penury.”
“To cross-check, I leafed through the latest Commission on Audit annual report (Vol. III ) on local governments,” Montemayor said. “I paid special attention to the what Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo calls the ‘most abused item in the budget,’ namely, the 20 Percent Local Development Fund.
“Expenditures for personal services and regular maintenance expenses continued to be charged to this fund despite rules to the contrary, the COA found. Talisay City, for example, billed this fund for P27.8 million of unimplemented projects. Marikina funneled 15 percent of its P135.6-million fund in violation of rules. The COA rapped Davao Oriental’s knuckles earlier for misuse of the fund LDF last year. It doled out P1.98 million, again in violation of guidelines. So did Cabanatuan, Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, Sulu, etc., etc.
“This is en-masse violation. And it calls for tougher measures because the poor are the victims. Specifically, I propose mandatory cuts from salaries of local officials who plunder this fund.
