Ronaldo Castanaga
6 June 2007

 

Mr. Delfin:

You might be correct, there are hidden agenda behind the Magsaysay Park project. I can’t blame you that even during the time of Pres Ramos, the P6.4 billion pesos allocated for the Phil Centennial celebration in Angeles City chaired by Doy Laurel disappeared in thin air.

But I don’t think there are malicious insiders trying to derail the project. The Dagupan city council are responsible adults and may have adopted ordinance safeguards that will insure timely completion of the project free from technical defects, flaws, on time, within budget and quality.

Eduardo Pontaoe
6 June 2007

 

I would have to agree with Mr. Jeremias Carrera on his indictment of a corrupted Philippines. His unrestricted. . .authoritative. . . . unconditional and eye opening observation of the country as a whole give credence to what of us had been observing all this time. It’s no hugger-mugger that even of the most notorious left-winger would agree - the Philippines - is done, a complete debasement of its democratic ideals. How corruption gravitates from on high to the lowly street cleaner is beyond perception; integrity questioned further to what is decent and honorable.

Case in point: It’s a fact the Department of Justice is compromised. Adulteration of the law, is flagrant and in the open. The Regional Trial Courts, the Appellate, all the way to the Supreme Court cannot be trusted to dispense what is tasked to do. You can have a case settled favorably with the right amount of grease.

The brethren are recommended by the executive branch and approved by the Senate without proper scrutiny how these jerks in the court are qualified or not. The rich gets speedy preferenced justice while the poor get sucked in the maelstrom of injustice and incompetence.

The framework of the system. . . equality under law - is a joke. And this mentality crossed borders even here in America. Filipinos trying to assimilate politically could not dispense themselves of that pervasive practice to outsmart the other guy. But they got entangled on the assumption they could outwit the American system of justice.

Examples: PETER FAJARDO of Carson, California. . .a suburb of LA. . . was elected mayor and got arrested and went to the pokey for breaking probation from pleading guilty to a federal misdemeanor of illegally collecting a counsel’s fee. With conviction he is kicked out of City Hall and do time at the same time.

FRED SOTO, an elected councilor of National City, CA, was sued for alleged financial improprieties and unprofessional conduct that ended up having his license suspended to practice law, and if convicted; will lose his elected position and the clinker.

These things happened not because the Filipino is uneducated to what’s right, but his psyche is predominantly attuned to what’s bad on the assumption he won’t get caught.

I was in the Philippines a few weeks back and I observed that corruption did not cease to exist at the NAIA. Though not vulgar. . . it’s subtle. The ongoing saga of perfection in vitiation.

Conclusively, the Philippines is not ready for reform as long as the rats. . .the hyenas. . .the vultures. . .get elected with those bumbling dolts, blockheads, imbeciles and simpletons of actors and actresses who don’t know SHIT from CRAP. And any kind of government for the Philippines could not work. It can be formed in any concept - to be dismantled. . .the Pinoy way.

Jeremias Andrade Carrera
6 June 2007

 

Mr. Oriel:

What you are telling the readers is half truth, incomplete, and unrealistic. The fact is you branded me as telling lies for telling a complete truth-THE PHILIPPINES IS ONE OF THE MOST CORRUPT NATION IN THE WORLD AND THE TOP IN ASIA.

That is one of the DIFFERENCE and the other DIFFERENCE is that other nations enforces their anti-corruption laws to stop corruption whereas in the Philippines, it is always the routine pronouncement of GMA to start stopping corruption after being in power for so many years. She was propelled into power because of corruption of Estrada, however the Philippines attained its position as the most corrupt nation in Asia and 125 out of 165 during the GMA’s administration.

Your solution is unrealistic because if most of the politicians, public officials, and the people are corrupt such that almost nobody wants to enforce the laws, what effect will new systems have to stop corruption?

Most of the prosecuted cases are for EXTORTION. KUNG HINDI MAPAGKAKAKUARTAHAN, HINDI KIKILOS ANG GOBIYERNO. KAYA MABILIS ANG LABAS NANG PORK BARREL DAHIL MAY PERA DIYAN. NAIINTINDIHAN MO BA MR. ORIEL?

Are you reading the column of Ermin Garcia, the regular postings of Mr. Delfin, Mr. Pontaoe, and the other investigative reporter of other newspapers? If only most of the newspapers do not condone corruption and will pay enough investigative reporters instead of reporters making their living from corrupt politicians and public officials, the front page everyday will be about corruption.

You ask me for the solution - immediately fund to institute programs to prosecute all the high profile corruption cases and start removing the nonperforming and corrupt officials starting from the top.

If GMA can not or will not do it, then the people must remove and replace her just like Estrada and Marcos. If the Philippines has to move forward, then anti-corruption program must always be in placed. Only then will the Filipino mentality or attitude will change which will be very slow but sure.

Corruption also happens here in Guam which leads to a former senator and a registered professional engineer in jail in Hawaii for eight months. The former late governor of Guam committed suicide rather than report to jail for corruption which also involved two engineers-one Filipino and the other from India. One Filipino engineer working for the Department of Public Works also committed suicide.

The laws are enforced - period. And that is the simple solution. Very few newspapers in the Philippines report corruption and most are part of it. That is the present culture.

Ermin Garcia Jr. just like his late father who was murdered because of exposing corruption is becoming a rare breed of journalist and that is why everybody respects him.

The others make their living by writing “PAPOGI” news for the corrupt politicians or officials.