Transparency groups: Corruption worsened under Gloria Arroyo's watch

PAGC INEFFECTIVE, SAYS TI-RP HEAD
Transparency groups: Corruption worsened

Daily Tribune 05/22/2008
The Arroyo administration became the focus of criticisms yesterday from delegates of a regional conference of the Transparency International (TI) who were unanimous in saying incidences of corruption in the country were perceived to have worsened rather than improved.

The country under President Arroyo's watch would likely sink further down the ladder in the global corruption perceptions index based on surveys recently made on the level of irregular dealings involving government, TI-Philippines chairman Dolores Espanol said.
Espanol's assessment was backed up by TI regional director Pascal Fabie who said the government has failed to make any progress in reducing corruption in the Philippines over the past year.

In the TI corruption perception index for last year, the Philippines was ranked 131st of 180 nations included in the survey with a 2.5 rating. It was lumped with Burundi, Honduras, Iran, Libya, Nepal and Yemen. Its ranking was among the worst in Asia.
Espanol cited surveys conducted by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (Perc) based in Hong Kong and the periodic surveys made by the Social Weather Station that showed the perceptions of corruption continue to worsen in the country.

Transparency International : Bribery in RP among worst in world

The corrupt Arroyo government is just doing a lip service in the fight against massive corruption in the bureaucracy. Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts are responsible for bleeding the treasury dry. The buck stops at Malacanang Palace. The Big Fish is elusive and well-protected by Jose Pidal mafia gang. Transparency and accountability does not exist under the Arroyo regime. Malacanang Palace is blocking any congressional investigation on alleged misused of public funds, scams and bribery.


64% say GMA gov’t ineffective vs corruption

Bribery in RP among worst in world — TI

By Chito Lozada Business Editor

12/07/2007

The Philippines under the Arroyo regime has climbed high in the global corruption index.

Corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) ranked the Philippines in the top rung of countries most affected by bribery in the world based on its Global Corruption Barometer 2007 report released yesterday.

According to the corruption watchdog, it is the police, politicians and judges who are the most corrupt.

One in every four persons has been asked to pay a bribe to the police, and political parties and parliaments or Congress, are the most tainted by corruption, a TI study showed.

The poor are targeted for bribes in both developed and developing countries.

The study “has made it clear that too often, people must part with their hard-earned money to pay for services that should be free,” said TI chairman Huguette Labelle. “And they do not see enough commitment when they look to their governments and leaders.”

The study found that among the countries with the highest level of petty bribery, with 30 percent of respondents reporting paying bribes, is the Philippines.

Mrs. Arroyo has been mired in corruption scandals that keep on coming, and where she has been seen to block all investigations into the corruption scandals, the latest of which are the China ZTE Corp. National Broadband Network project, along with the P500,000 cash bribes each given to some 190 congressmen and a big number of local executives, right in Malacañang.

The World Bank also recently suspended funding of several road projects in the country owing to the discovered “excessive” corruption and huge overpricing in bidding for the projects.

The TI survey showed the Philippines along with Albania, Cambodia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania and Senegal in the top rung of countries with the highest incidences of corruption in the world.

The TI survey polled more than 63,000 people in 60 countries between June and September 2007. It showed above 33 percent reported having paid a bribe to obtain a service in the group that included the Philippines.

The TI, in its yearly Corruption Perceptions Index, showed that the Philippines has consistently fallen in ranking during the term of President Arroyo.

On respondents evaluation of the Arroyo government’s efforts to fight corruption, an overwhelming 64 percent said the measures being implemented were ineffective against 24 percent who said the efforts were effective.

The second rung of countries affected by corruption that included Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Indonesia, Lithuania, Moldova, Peru, Serbia and the Ukraine had 21 percent to 33 percent of respondents reporting having paid a bribe.

The survey also showed that 70 percent of those surveyed in the Philippines believe that the level of corruption will further increase in the next three years.

In Asia, the Philippines was only second to Cambodia on the percentage level of businesses which reported that they have to pay to obtain services.

On a ranking of 1 to 5, with 1 being the cleanest and 5 being the most corrupt, respondents said the police were the most corrupt in the country with a 3.6 rating, followed by the Parliament and the legislature, 3.5; political parties, 3.4; tax revenue authorities, 3.1; and 3 for the legal system and the judiciary.

On views of corruption in the future, 79 percent of respondents believe that the level of corruption will rise in the next three years, which the second highest in the region next only to India with 90 percent seeing a worsening of the corruption level in the next three years.

One in every four people has been asked to pay a bribe to the police, and political parties and parliaments, and they are the most tainted by corruption, the TI survey shows.

The poor are targeted for bribes in both developed and developing countries, according to the watchdog’s Global Corruption Barometer 2007.

The study “has made it clear that too often, people must part with their hard-earned money to pay for services that should be free,” Labelle stressed. “And they do not see enough commitment when they look to their governments and leaders.”

By region, Africa experiences the most demands for bribes, the study found.

The poor are hit hardest by petty bribery as they are more likely than those from a high-income bracket to pay bribes when seeking services.

And, TI said, that rule held true regardless of whether respondents were from richer or poorer countries.

Telephone and gas providers were the least likely to demand bribes, while the police were the worst offenders.

Twenty-five percent of respondents who came into contact with the police were asked to pay a bribe and one in every six reported that they ended up paying a bribe.

Judges in many countries are happy to take a bribe in return for dismissing a case or influencing a verdict in a court case, it was also found.

In the Philippines, this is common knowledge.

In Pakistan, for example, 96 percent of those questioned reported corrupt practices in courts.

“The police and the judiciary in many countries around the world are part of a cycle of corruption, demanding bribes from citizens,” TI’s managing director Cobus de Swardt said in a statement.

“This troubling finding means that corruption is interfering with the basic right to equal treatment before the law.”

Labelle said however that TI had noticed some cause for hope.

“We are heartened... that the public is increasingly demanding the accountability of the very institutions that most affect their lives, as this is a powerful driver of change,” she said.

The police and the judiciary featured as the services most likely to demand bribes. This result shows a serious threat to rule of law worldwide and proof that the basic right to equal treatment before the law is not guaranteed, according to TI.

“Turning promises into action is essential if anti-corruption efforts are to have an impact on the lives of ordinary people. Governments are key to making good on commitments to fighting corruption. But governments are not alone in their responsibility. We need to see concerted action from civil society and the private sector too,” Labelle said.

“The Global Corruption Barometer 2007 is a wake-up call, and a reminder that people around the world are increasingly demanding an end to corruption and its terrible cost,” Labelle added.

The Berlin-based organization also produces an annual ranking of countries perceived to be the most corrupt. Daily Tribune

Executive Order 608: Cover-up Crimes Against The Filipino People

Leakage of ‘sensitive’ documents plugged to control cover-up ops

Gloria tightens gag order, issues EO 608

By Sherwin C. Olaes

Daily Tribune 04/20/2007

In a bid to make it more difficult for an opposition-dominated Senate to dig deeper into any issue that would require Malacañang to produce, through a Senate summons, classified information during Senate investigations and hearings, President Arroyo enhanced her gag order, Memorandum Circular 108, by complementing it with a newly signed Executive Order (EO) 608 that establishes a national security clearance system for government personnel with access to classified information.

At the same time, the EO was said to have been created by Mrs. Arroyo to plug any and all leaks, and deny her political foes the opportunity to get hold of these “sensitive documents” that may prove damaging to her and her presidency.

The media have also been the recipients of leaked information that has, however, preempted certain illegal and unconstitutional plans designed by the Palace to place the country under a virtual martial law regime.

The Tribune, having obtained a leaked document on the plan of Mrs. Arroyo to impose emergency rule in 2006 that called for the takeover of the media and the arrests of political dissenters, exposed this.

Malacañang denied there was such plan, but a few months later, Proclamation 1017, a copy of the Marcos martial law decree, was imposed, and the country was placed under a state of From page 1

emergency, where the Tribune was illegally raided and taken over by the state’s security forces.

Palace sources, who asked not to be identified, told the Tribune that the new EO was created to facilitate “cover-up” operations of whatever illegal acts that may have been committed, whenever needed.

It will be recalled that Mrs. Arroyo has refused to make the Mayuga Report, which delved into the Hello Garci electoral fraud pertaining to charges of certain military generals having actively participated in the electoral fraud to ensure her fraudulent presidential victory in 2004. She claimed that this could not be released, being a matter of “national security.”

Palace sources also said that EO 608 was designed to bar political foes or their groups from succeeding in obtaining “sensitive documents” that would be leaked to them by some Palace hands.

The EO content points to this.

It says: “Whereas the government is always at constant risk of being infiltrated by a group or individual for a purpose which is inimical to national interest, these groups or individuals rely on infiltrating and or developing contacts within the bureaucracy to be their source of intelligence and other relevant information, particularly on classified or sensitive information and materials in order to accomplish their unlawful objectives.”

The President, in the same EO states that any “unauthorized disclosure, sharing, publication or use of the information” contained in certain classified documents shall be considered a grave offense and shall be punishable in accordance with civil service rules and regulation.

The EO added that the filing of an administrative case against an erring personnel does not preclude the filing of any other appropriate criminal case against the accused security officer.

Malacañang officials who requested anonymity told the Tribune that the President, having learned her lesson, does not want to see a repeat of any leakage of sensitive information that occurred a year after the 2004 presidential polls, where documents showing the illegal disbursement of the P3 billion fertilizer funds scam for purposes other than funding agriculture projects and instead diverting the funds into Mrs. Arroyo’s campaign coffers in aid of her electoral victory, were obtained by the political opposition and the media.

The information leaked was that Department of Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, said to be the bagman of the presidential couple, obtained the release of some P780 million in fertilizers funds which was diverted into the pockets of congressmen-allies for their campaign expenses, plus more funds to buy votes for Mrs. Arroyo’s candidacy.

There was also the case of the wiretapped conversations between the then Commission on Election commissioner Virgilio “Garci” Garcillano and the President herself that focused on the cheating operations that had to be done to make her have a 1 million vote lead over the opposition presidential candidate, Fernando Poe Jr.

The Hello Garci tape was leaked by an agent of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) and found its way to forces identified with groups opposed to Mrs. Arroyo.

The Hello Garci expose led to the near collapse of her presidency and government in July 2005.

“If before, members of the opposition lawmakers such as Sen. (Panfilo) Ping Lacson can easily obtain sensitive information damning to the Arroyo government, it would no longer be possible or as easy today especially after the President came up with this EO,” the Palace official informed the Tribune.

But Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, in a chance interview, defended the President’s issuance of EO 608, shooting down this early speculations and observations from the political opposition that this EO was created specifically to deny groups critical of Mrs. Arroyo and her government any and all access to these “sensitive documents” which are claimed to be national security concerns.

“When we deal with matters of security, all of us must be responsible enough in handling such information—and disinformation. And when I say ‘responsible enough’, we should not just throw anything against the administration and use the sensitive information (against the Arroyo administration). So they (opposition) should be discerning enough to know what are matters of national security especially that which pertain to the safety of our people and that’s the reason we are now quite strict in handling security matters,” Ermita pointed out.

Ermita also warned the opposition not to accuse the President for coming out with EO 608 in a bid to cover up any illegal acts.

“We are challenging the opposition to come out with strong evidence (of any illegal offense committed by Malacañang)and they (opposition) can always bring that to the proper court, instead of insinuating that this EO is to be used to cover up anything. And everything should be done in a very transparent manner, especially when this has to deal in the government projects such as biddings etc. That is hardly the purpose of the EO,” Ermita stressed.

EO 608 entails the establishment of a uniformed Security Clearance System that is national in scope to cover all government personnel who by reason of their function or their office have access to classified information.

Under Section 1, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales would be given a major role to approve or reject the institutionalized security clearance procedures submitted to him by all heads of government offices that have access to classified matters.

Gonzales will be vested with the power to conduct a comprehensive background investigation on all government agencies personnel who by reason of their employment, have access to classified information.

“It is only after passing the said security clearance procedure that the department can issue an Interim Security Clearance (ISC) in favor of said employee. Only the head of the department, agency or office concerned or their designated representative can issue the Interim Security Clearance,” the EO states.

The heads of department are also tasked to designate a security officer who shall assume full responsibility for holding classified information, wherein the personnel granted ISC will not be allowed to disclose, share, publish or use the information contained in the classified documents.

Palace sources pointed out that the EO is all-encompassing, and covers all the departments in government, and with this EO, it will now be difficult for the Congress to demand that documents from their department necessary to be submitted for the hearings.

The security officer detailed by certain department heads that would secure classified information is also required to submit his name to the office of Gonzales wherein the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) on its own, can conduct background investigation on the certain personnel.

Publish Melo Commission Report, Protect Witnesses & Prosecute Gen. Palparan

The Filipino people have the constitutional right to information on matters of public concern. Mrs. Gloria Arroyo wants deeper investigation on alleged political killings by the military. An investigation after investigation may take 100 years before justice is attained to the victims. The Melo Commission Report is a public document and not a sole property of Gloria Arroyo. The Arroyo regime is trying to cover up the political killings and to protect the perpetrators. The regime’s all-out war against the communists may have resulted to the extra-judicial killings. It appears that the “Little President” ex-general Eduardo Ermita and his military clique cannot distinguish between legal Left and the armed partisans of the New People’s Army. The discredited Arroyo government revives the old communist bogey to gain public support and Uncle Sam’s military aid. United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston described as "tragic" the cases of human rights violations presented to him during his visit to the Philippines.

Philippine Constitution the BILL OF RIGHTS Section 7 states: The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

February 2, 2007

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

PHILIPPINES: Publish report, protect witnesses & prosecute Palparan

The Asian Human Rights Commission cautiously welcomes the findings of the Melo Commission that retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. and other military officers could be held liable for the unabated extrajudicial killings of human rights defenders, social campaigners, priests, political organisers and others in the Philippines. The final report of the commission, which was headed by former Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo, handed to the president this week, reportedly points to the complicity of military officers in the killings and suggests that Palparan and others had command responsibility for the deaths.

The inquiry's conclusion puts to rest police and military claims that the allegations against Palparan and his men are unsubstantiated. That the army is culpable for extrajudicial killings is no longer a matter of doubt: so what happens next?

The police and military predictably sprang to the defence of Palparan and his subordinates. In separate media interviews on January 30, Deputy Director General Avelino Razon and General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., chiefs of Task Force Usig and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) respectively, made remarks that there were no evidence against Palparan and he is no longer under military’s jurisdiction, since he retired in September 2006. The comments from Razon are all the more remarkable given that his task force was established to hunt for the persons responsible for killings, not defend the accused. They are also in direct contradiction to the Melo Commission, which based its findings largely upon police documents, as most complainants and witnesses refused to cooperate because of distrust and fear. The commission has admitted that its work was hampered by the lack of cooperation; notwithstanding, it was still able to obtain sufficient evidence to establish that the military could be held accountable.

The enormous threats facing witnesses and families of dead victims or those who have survived attacks are the biggest obstacles to obtaining justice and redress in cases of extrajudicial killing in the Philippines. The Asian Human Rights Commission has repeatedly drawn attention to the absence of protection for these persons as the primary reason that investigations there fail. For the police agency given the task of investigating persons alleged to have been involved in the killings to reject the findings of a presidential commission off-hand, instead of reviewing and building evidence against those identified as responsible, is completely unacceptable.

The police are duty-bound to recommend complainants and witnesses be given protection through the justice department, under the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (RA 6981). If they have not done this promptly they are either negligent or ignorant. The result in either case is that it is much easier to reach the convenient conclusion that there is a "lack of evidence".

It is also ridiculous for the military to excuse itself from responsibility. The obligations of any armed forces for the actions of its personnel do not expire when someone retires from service. Esperon's acknowledgement that army personnel may have been involved in killings must be more deeply probed. Have any of the implicated persons ever been sanctioned, disarmed or punished? What action, if any, has been taken against them? These questions remain altogether unanswered.

The killings will only end when there are prosecutions. There will only be prosecutions when witnesses and victims are protected, rather than threatened and killed themselves, and the perpetrators are investigated, rather than defended. The Melo Commission has no power upon which to initiate these things itself. The responsibility instead rests on the person who ordered the inquiry: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She is now obliged to see that its findings are given meaning, and the responsible state agencies, notably Task Force Usig and the justice department, do their jobs and the accused, including Major General Jovito Palparan Jr., are brought before courts of justice. She must also have the report made public without delay, in order that there is complete disclosure of its findings. Withholding of the report will only deepen public distrust in her administration, and raise further doubts about the assurances of her government that it is acting in the interests of the victims and their families.

About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Posted on 2007-02-02

Related Link:
Where is the Melo Report?