Statement of Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. on allegations of corruption in the military
The Aquino Administration is fully aware of the situation in the Armed Forces of the Philippines in connection with allegations of corruption involving former ranking military officials.
All these allegations will be looked into and investigated. Those who broke the law will be held accountable. This administration will not allow the misdeeds of a few former military officials involved in this large-scale corruption to dishonor the thousands of men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to defend and protect the country. We will not let their sacrifices go in vain.
Since last year, this administration and the AFP have taken steps to reform the system. Mechanisms have been put in place to protect the AFP's coffers from abuse and to make sure that transactions are transparent and honest, that supplies and equipment intended for our soldiers reach them. But this I ask from our troops: be vigilant and report the misuse of funds by your superiors.
I salute Col. George Rabusa, Col. Antonio Lim, and former State Auditor Heidi Mendoza for stepping forward to shed light on allegations of corruption in the military. Let it be known that this government will marshal its resources to ensure their safety so they can continue to aid us in finding the truth.
To our troops and the Filipino people, rest assured that this administration will do everything to protect the military institution. We recognize the courage and valuable contribution of our soldiers, who live and die in the name of freedom and democracy. (PCOO)
Ochoa pledges to protect military institution
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Friday assured government troops that the Aquino Administration had taken steps to protect the military institution amid allegations of corruption against former ranking officials of the armed forces.
“This administration will not allow the misdeeds of a few former military officials involved in this large-scale corruption to dishonor the thousands of men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to defend and protect the country. We will not let their sacrifices go in vain,” Ochoa said.
“All these allegations will be looked into and investigated. Those who broke the law will be held accountable,” he added.
The Executive Secretary said President Benigno Aquino III was fully aware of the situation in the Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) in connection with allegations that former generals had pocketed hundreds of millions in military funds.
Since last year, the Aquino administration and the AFP have put in place mechanisms to protect the AFP coffers from potential abuse and to make transactions transparent and honest, as well as ensure that all supplies and equipment intended for soldiers reach them, Ochoa said.
He praised whistle-blowers retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa, former budget officer with the AFP, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza, and Lt. Col. Antonio Lim for “stepping forward to shed light on allegations of corruption in the military,” and assured them that “this government will marshal its resources to ensure their safety so they can continue to aid us in finding the truth.”
Ochoa also appealed to the men and women in uniform to be “vigilant and report the misuse of funds” by their superiors.
“To our troops and the Filipino people, rest assured that this administration will do everything to protect the military institution. We recognize the courage and valuable contribution of our soldiers, who live and die in the name of freedom and democracy,” Ochoa added. (PCOO)
Pinoys urged to join Nat’l Arts Month celebration
All systems are go for the celebration of Filipino culture and talent this February as the nation marks 20 years of the National Arts Month through the Philippine international art festival.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, urged Filipinos to participate in the festival organized by the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCAA) to further Philippine art and the public regard for local arts and culture.
The NCAA said the festival’s theme-- “Ani ng Sining,” will indeed prove to be a harvest for the arts as thousands of local artists and cultural workers gather all over the country for the biggest artistic celebration to date.
Joining in the festivities are artists from Japan, Lithuania, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. Celebrations will be all over the archipelago, with focus on four areas- National Capital Region, Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon.
The grand opening program for the National Capital Region according to Lacierda, was held last Jan. 30 at the Rizal Park. For Mindanao it will be held at People’s Park in Davao City on Feb. 6; Visayas will have its Grand Opening Program on Feb. 13 at the Bacolod Provincial Capitol; and, the Grand Opening Program for Luzon is on Feb. 20 at Burnham Park in Baguio City.
All four Grand Opening Programs will feature elaborate performances, exhibitions, and parades. (PCOO)
PH gets $10-M loan from World Bank, Royal Netherlands
The Philippine government will receive $10 million in loans within three years from the World Bank and the Royal Netherlands to rehabilitate and dredge the Laguna de Bay.
In a news briefing in Malacañang on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chaired by President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the project and the loans from international funding agencies.
The loan will be used to rehabilitate and dredge the Laguna lake including lakeshore reclamation, improvement of water quality and management of the lake’s resources such as fishery, water supply and the development of transport systems, ports and marinas.
The project, envisioned under Executive Order 815 of the previous administration, was intended to repair the damage caused by the storm Ondoy on Laguna de Bay when heavy rains caused the bay to grow in size from 80,000 hectares to 115,000 hectares.
The new project to be implemented over the next three years, replaced the controversial P18.7- billion Laguna Lake Dredging Project cancelled by President Aquino.
The new Laguna Lake rehabilitation plan seeks to solve flooding in Metro Manila, clean Laguna Lake and create the longest lakeshore park in the world.
The project will also decongest Metro Manila from traffic and squatter problems, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, protect the watershed, stimulate investments and tourism and reclaim lands for business, industrial and residential purposes. (PCOO)
January inflation rate still within target says Palace
Last month’s inflation rate of 3.5 percent is still within the target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas at 3.5 to 7 percent.
In a media briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the current uncertainty in Egypt and its impact on fuel oil supplies will definitely affect oil prices locally and ultimately consumer prices.
Transport fares have already increased and the rate increases for the Metro Rail Transit and the impending increase on toll of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) will have their effect on inflation, he said.
Lacierda said Bangko Sentral is closely monitoring inflation to prepare steps to curb any increases in local fuel prices and consumer prices.
He said the Department of Labor and Employment is currently discussing with employers and the private sector the wage situation. (PCOO)
Public urged to join “light up for peace in Mindanao”
Malacañang urged the public to join the “Light Up for Peace” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on Tuesday (Feb. 8) as part of the run up for the upcoming resumption of peace negotiation with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) this month.
Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda echoed the call noting that the upcoming peace talks with the MILF “is an opportunity to finally put an end to the conflict that has stunted the country’s development for so long, especially in areas where unrest has caused poverty and death to so many of our people.”
“The talks are crucial as it formally breaks the impasse with the MILF caused by the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), he said.
Lacierda said the Light Up for Peace set on Tuesday (Feb. 8) will be highlighted with a candle-lighting event that will illuminate the walls of the 1.9 kilometer stretch of the park at around 6 p.m.
President Benigno S. Aquino is scheduled to grace the multi-sectoral and multi-agency peace constituency building project at the resumption of the peace talks with Moro rebels. He is also expected to lead the call for People Power for Peace and the ringing of the Peace Bell.
In a separate statement posted at the Official Gazette of the Palace, Prof. Jennifer Santiago Oreta of the Ateneo de Manila University – Department of Political Science said the resumption of the talks is “within this frame that a peace constituency building project is envisioned.”
Oreta, who is the lead convenor of Ateneo’s Working Group on Security Sector Reform and one of the project organizers, explained that the project aims to engage the people to act and commit themselves for peace through various modes of participation; and make known to the wider public that there is a broad constituency supporting the peace agenda.
“These positive interventions will not only mainstream the peace agenda as a national concern; it can also add pressure to the peace panels on both sides (the government and the MILF and the CPP/NPA/NDF) to sit down and put an end to the decades-long issue that has imperiled the country for so long,” she said.
Non-government organizations involved in the project are the following: Philippine Coalition on International Criminal Court (PCICC), Sulong CARHRIHL, Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZOPI), Institute for International Dialogue (IID), Libertas, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Confederation of Student Governments of the Philippines, Balay Rehabilitation Center, and People Power Volunteers for Reform, among others.
Participating government agencies include the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Government of the Philippines-Monitoring Committee on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). (PCOO)
