His Excellency President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III was propelled to power by a popular mandate after his mother's death, then president Cory who had gained the love and admiration of the Filipino people. His father the late NINOY considered a hero for sacrificing his life fighting a dictator also earned the respect and support of Filipinos and the world that immensely led to PNoy's being accepted and chosen to be their new leader rejecting his political opponents who were identified as stooges of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Now as President, PNoy's avowal of "ang daan matuwid" at 'kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap" will be subjected to an acid test by the recent expose of former AFP Budget Officer retired Col. Rabusa who has testified before Senate Blue Ribbon Committee of his full knowledge about the alleged massive corruption in the Armed Forces of the Phillippines wherein he specifically implicated former Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes of having allegedly received the huge sum of P50 million pesos of taxpayers money for so-called 'pabaon" when he retired and and two other Generals Cimatu and Villanueva for receiving P10M as 'pasalubong' when they assumed as AFP Chief of Staff.
Col. Rabusa's testimony also alleged that even the wife of Gen. Reyes and his children have benefitted from AFP funds during the time of their father, something considered as serious violation of government accounting and auditing regulations as they are civilians and were not in any way connected as organic employees of the Armed Forces who should be allowed to handle funds of the military.
President Aquino as Commander-In-Chief cannot allow such highly irregular practice or tradition in the AFP to continue under his administration as it is contrary to what he had promised the Filipino people during his inaugural address that he will ensure transparency, honesty and strong feedback mechanism whereby the people must help him watch and report acts of graft and corruption and wrong doings of public officials including those in the Armed Forces.
Therefore, the challenge of ridding the Armed Forces of corruption is now at his doorstep being the Commander-In-Chief who wields authority over the four major services as the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines including the Philippine National Police and all Intelligence agency of the government. Many believed including a former President Fidel Ramos, who was once also Commander-In-Chief attested to the fact such corruption in the AFP could have not been possible without the knowledge and blessing of the Commander-In-Chief at the time the highly anomalous transaction of giving such huge amount in millions was committed.
One thing is clear to the Filipino people that what many have thought and suspected in the past about corruption in the AFP for many years is coming out to be true with Col. Rabusa's spilling the beans before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee whereby General Reyes was subjected to intense questioning by Senator Jinggoy Estrada with Col. Rabusa as star witness. Rabusa had promised more damaging evidences will be presented in the next Senate hearing.
The question now will be: Will President Aquino as Commander-In-Chief do what is expected of him to stop once and all such corruption in the AFP? Is he forthright in exercising the political will to reform the AFP of crooks and scalawags particularly among the ranks of the Generals and Commander of the major services and commands? Will he use all available power of his office to give protection to Col. Rabusa and other witnesses that may come forward and present more evidences about corruption in the AFP so the filling of cases against all those involved shall have been properly done in accordance with the applicable laws guaranteed under the Constitution and laws on Military Discipline so corresponding penalty be given to those found guilty? Are we going to see in this case a Commander-In-Chief who will truly be giving the command and order and such to be followed and implemented?
The challenge now lies in the hands of the Commander-In-Chief.
The critical questions you have posted in the closing part of this blog Mr. Ajihil, I believe are the same questions our fellow citizens and I are asking.
ReplyDeleteWith our fingers crossed, hopefully PNoy will pursue to address and resolve these "massive revelations" and bring the "once untachoubles ones" to justice.