The Official Bangon Pilipinas Website

Bangon Pilipinas Secretary General Ronald Tan expressed amusement at the illogical reaction and statement of Press Secretary Jesus Dureza on the support of Bangon Pilipinas Chairman Bro. Eddie Villanueva for the position taken by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), against graft and corruption plaguing the Arroyo Administration.

In a radio interview, Dureza reportedly stated that the call for good governance and reform is not exclusive to Bro. Eddie or the CBCP but that even the President herself may exercise her right to call for change and reform. The press secretary further added that the President was also concerned about corruption.

“Without claiming to be a legal luminary, I believe that Secretary Dureza’s statement could be characterized in legal circles as “Res ipsa loquitur” – the thing speaks for itself – which is often used in the TORTS LAWS ON NEGLIGENCE. If it were true that this administration was ‘concerned’ about fighting corruption, then why would it move heaven and hell to prevent the testimonies of such personalities as GARCI, NERI, BOLANTE, all of whom allegedly have inside information on the numerous major issues of graft and corruption (such as the 2004 Electoral Fraud, ZTE-NBN, FERTILIZER SCAM, and NORTH RAIL PROJECT) that are now besetting the Arroyo government? The mere issuance of Executive Order 464 that prohibits officials from attending legislative investigative hearings without prior consent from the President evokes serious doubt on the veracity and validity of Dureza’s claim.  The difference between the claims made and the actions taken by the Palace speaks so loudly for itself. There are two indispensable factors in the fight against corruption ~ ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY ~ and so far, this administration has a dismal failing grade on both.”

On the statement of Sec. Dureza that those who criticize should also look on the positive side of the administration, the Bangon secretary general responded with an obvious sense of amusement: “One of the erroneous beliefs of the Arroyo officials is that rampant corruption can be obscured by shoving the glaring issues under a carpet they call progress and development. But the facts are irrefutable. The major and numerous incidents of corruption and electoral fraud, not to mention the senseless murders of religious and media practitioners, have remained unresolved and no one has been taken to account. Bro. Eddie has never claimed exclusivity in his call for good governance and eradicating graft. In fact, his call to hold a summit of religious leaders from different denominations and to come up with a common stand against corruption speaks of his openness to everyone who shares with him the common values and goals to defeat this paralyzing menace of society.”

Commenting finally on Sec. Dureza’s remark that there may be a need to study if the Bishop’s call for change was excessive of their rights, Bangon Sec Gen Tan concluded: “The words of the late US President Theodore Roosevelt comes to my mind if we were to accept Sec. Dureza’s proposition of no negative criticism: ‘To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, right or wrong - is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable.”Perhaps, and not surprisingly so, this is one of what  PGMA considers as the benefits of “Executive Privilege” – the right to be free from all criticism even in the midst of unashamed contravention of the people’s right to know and be heard. In a republic that claims to be a bastion of Democracy in Asia – such superciliousness must never be condoned nor tolerated.

Reacting to the recently declared position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) headed by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, seeking radical reforms against Graft and Corruption, Bishop “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva, Spiritual Director of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, Chairman of the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM) and Bangon Pilipinas Party, lauded the courage and fortitude of the CBCP with its timely declaration.

“I echo the divinely inspired assessment of the CBCP that corruption in government is a ‘moral and social cancer’ that must not be treated with mere anesthesia or propaganda but must be completely and swiftly eradicated. All the studies and scientific findings by well-respected international bodies point to this one single reality which has made the Philippines amongst the poorest performing economies in Asia. To make matters worse, millions of our people in poverty have become pawns of corrupt politicians and an administration whose central focus in solving the ills of the nation is to attempt to perpetuate itself in power at the expense of the true will of the nation,” Bishop Eddie declared.

Asked to comment on the claim of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Chairman Emeritus Donald Dee that he “reprimanded” Archbishop Lagdameo for the CBCP statement, Bro. Eddie responded: “It amazes me that someone known to be beholden to the Arroyo administration, implicated in the NBN-ZTE scandal cover up, and whose tenure as PCCI head was characterized by a lack of independence from Malacanang, would even have the nerve to make this impudent claim against a respected archbishop. Rather than appearing to be proud of his disrespect, he should repent and seek forgiveness because such pride will most certainly have its consequences. As it is written in Proverbs 16:18: ‘Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.’”

Palace officials have been following a redundant script especially in the light of the recent impeachment complaint filed before Congress. To other issues plaguing the Arroyo Presidency, Bro. Eddie gave an uncompromising admonishment: “The problems of the nation were present well before this global financial crisis. The hopeless attempts of palace officials and even Donald Dee to use the worldwide recession as an excuse for their miserable failure demonstrate their faulty underestimation of the understanding and perception of the Filipino people. The crux of the matter is credibility and good governance. From ‘Hello Garci’, ZTE, Northrail, Fertilizer Scam, and many more issues pointing to rampant corruption – the Filipinos are at their saturation point and know that real reforms that will have lasting results must be radical and intense.”

The gravity of the situation prompted Bro. Eddie to propose a NATIONAL SUMMIT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE. “I am making personal call to the leaders of the CBCP, Protestant, Evangelical, Muslim and other denominations so that we may sit down and come up with a common position and course of action because the time for apathy and complacency has gone. I believe that once all the facts and the truth are revealed we shall see a nation awakened in its national consciousness and the people will say ‘ENOUGH!’

[For news on this statement, go to News > Current.] 

No info on reported cut of MCC aid to RP, says Golez
The Daily Tribune
10/21/2008

Still in denial over the reported failure of the Arroyo government in its control of corruption test, which would likely cut off funding for Manila, Malacañang yesterday said it has no information that the Philippines will not be getting fresh funding this year from the US Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC).

Deputy spokesman Anthony Golez said the Washington-based Center for Global Development (CGD) has just undertaken an independent analysis and prediction on which countries are likely to be selected by the MCC board in December 2009 and that which counts is not CGD but the MCC itself, that judges based on facts, not perception.

“The MCC has not yet released any finding or statement regarding the Philippine status on the MCC,” Golez said.

He pointed out that MCC chief executive officer (CEO) John Danilovich said last March the Philippines had demonstrated its “commitment to tackling difficult challenges and improving the lives of our people, giving the compact status and making us eligible for funding.”

Usually, CGD bases its predictions on particular surveys, “unlike the solid and objective indicators that MCC has,” he added.

“Our government has poured in the highest amount of money to programs against corruption and this has been the reason for the unprecedented increase in the prosecution and conviction rates of our courts,” Golez said.

The data on the increase in prosecution and conviction rates have not been substantiated, however, as the data in the Ombudsman office and the Sandiganbayan show a very poor conviction rate.

In July 2006, the Philippines received a $21-million grant from the MCC for the government’s anti-corruption campaign.

A Washington-based think-tank, the Center for Global Development, gave the country a poor rating of the country for failing to curb corruption in the government.

Mrs. Arroyo flunked the corruption curbing test, with the percantile ratings going lower and lower, and on its third year, the percantile rating went below the 50 mark.

In its Sept. 26, 2008 country assessment report, the CGD said the Philippines has failed the control of corruption indicator this year since the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which provides financial assistance to developing countries, was established three years ago.

CGD monitors and analyzes the MCA.

CGD said the Philippine corruption rating dropped sharply in the last two years—falling from the 76th percentile two years ago, to the 57th percentile last year, to the 47th percentile this year.

“This decline creates an awkward situation for the MCC for two reasons: First, the Philippines was declared eligible by the MCC Board just six months ago in a highly unusual out-of-cycle decision,” CGD said.

Bangon Pilipinas yesterday assailed the Arroyo Administration for its miserable failure in addressing rampant graft and corruption resulting in a negative rating and assessment by CGD, thereby reportedly forfeiting the nation’s chance for an additional grant of $21 million via the US MCC.

Bangon Chairman Bro. Eddie Villanueva reflected the party’s position on the issue: “By a steady deterioration of its ‘anti-graft’ rating, this government has proven what every Filipino knows and sees. That because the culture of corruption remains unchecked from top to bottom, the country is now languishing in the cellar with deteriorating economy and escalating poverty.

[See Documents > Party Papers for full statement.]

The decision of MCC to withhold additional funding for the Philippine Government was based on a worsening state of corruption in the country despite promises by the administration to execute active law enforcement, diligent prosecution, and even create a Presidential Anti-Graft Commission.

With PNA and Tribune wires

Bangon Pilipinas head Bro. Eddie Villanueva chided officials of the Arroyo government for their apparent scramble to justify, and vain attempt to diminish, the impact of President Arroyo’s decision for and in behalf of convicted double murderer Claudio Teehankee, Jr.  

“By not calling the commutation of Teehankee’s sentence an act of executive clemency but ‘technically’ a shortening of his court-mandated time of reclusion, these GMA officials are undermining the intelligence and good moral sense of the Filipino people. Assuming for the sake of argument that the act was technically not a presidential pardon, the fact that her signature provided the ‘early release’ of a convicted felon without any prior consultation with the victim’s family or the benefit of full transparency is more than enough preponderance to show that this travesty of the criminal justice system has dealt a blow to the spirit and credibility not only of the government but of the entire nation. This is why there is a pressing need to come up with new legislation to ensure that this sad episode does not happen again,” Bro. Eddie underscored.

Bangon Pilipinas leaders emphasized that while executive clemency is one of the available powers of the President, they believe that the Teehankee double murder case necessitates not only extra diligence, but a clear and transparent process that warrants at the very least the input of the victims’ relatives. 

Commenting on the statement made by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza that the reason the issue was getting public attention was because it was the “rich versus the rich,” Bro. Eddie stressed, “This is one of the most insensitive and out of touch comments by an administration that has miserably failed to see the reality and acknowledge a simple fact. The issue is not rich versus rich but against a convicted murderer sentenced to life imprisonment (with a minimum requirement of 21 years) whose sentence was suddenly shortened, commuted in a midnight operation without even considering the opinion of a mother, among the other victims, whose most cherished daughter’s life was snuffed out by the murderous act of this felon. Let us not also forget that there were a total of three victims in this heinous crime. The real issue is the moral turpitude of this administration.”

To prevent this apparent abuse of power from happening again, Bangon proposes the creation of a multi-sectoral commission to submit legislative recommendation/s that will amend current policies of the Board of Parole.  This is to ensure that the arbitrary exercise of presidential prerogative does not occur without ensuring that input of the victim’s relatives are given consideration. 

Bangon calls on the people to demand from government authorities the recognition and strengthening, rather than weakening, of the institutions and instruments of its democratic system, particularly of its penal justice system in this instant case.