Clear proof of corruption

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

02/08/2009

No matter how much Malacañang — and of course the presidential couple — try to skirt it, it is clear that corruption at the top is alive and kicking.

The World Bank report, and the WB statements following that report picked up by the media show that it wasn’t just a quickie investigation done to check on the collusive practices in big-rigging on road projects. That was certainly a very thorough probe done by the WB integrity unit.

Given that a corrupt Malacañang syndicate continues to thrive, it can’t merely focus its corrupt practices on just the WB road-funded projects. No doubt, since the syndicate at work can be found in the highest places in Malacañang, it can be presumed that its finger is every piece of the entire government project pie.

Didn’t the Japanese contractor say that in his first meeting with First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, it was already made clear to him shamelessly at that, that no one can do business in the country under his wife’s government without first coughing up grease money? That’s in every business — be it construction, smuggling, drug pushing, jueteng and all other underground businesses besides.

True, even if the FG is summoned to the Senate — and if he does not feign his heart problems and attends the hearing, one is almost certain that the Arroyo allies in the Senate will immediately clear him.

Already, their allies have resorted to saying that, without the official report from the WB, anything and everything is of no evidentiary value.

Chances are, however, that the FG is not going to attend that hearing at the Senate, because there is no doubt that his doctor will claim that Big Mike’s health is not up to any inquiry which would bring about stress for him.

So why should the Senate rely on FG’s doctor? Why not have an independent doctor to check on him? Better still, why not ensure that a doctor — even FG’s — is present during the hearing to attend to his patient?

What is just as clear is the fact that both the Ombudsman and the Finance chief already had that report from the WB. As stated by the WB recently, it is more than willing to assist the Ombudsman and even the finance chief on this referred case, and if additional documents are needed, the WB would provide them to the Ombudsman.

But the Ombudsman, a dear, loyal protector of the Arroyos and their corrupt cronies, obviously did nothing, perhaps hoping that as the communication was between the Ombudsman and the WB, no one--save for Gloria and Mike — need to know of this bank report which clearly points to the FG as the capo di cappi tutti. And make no mistake: Gloria is into the thick of it too. As the witnesses’ accounts went, the payoffs went to as high as the President — and that is Gloria Arroyo.

Truly, all these scams and scandals and grease money going into the pocket of the presidential couple and their co-syndicators in the billions have been known for sometime. And the reason these scams have gone on and on is that even as her allies knew of it, and knew just how corrupt they were, they protected the couple.

Remember the way the investigation of the FG on the Jose Pidal case went? Their allies in the Senate, who were then in the majority, did all they could to shield Gloria and Mike, even when the evidence stared them in the face. And the frigging civil socialites, so god-damned self righteous, backed Gloria and Mike to the hilt.

Remember the Senate investigation on the franchise on Pacifico Marcelo’s telecom project where Gloria met with him clandestinely and demanded the majority shares, or else he wouldn’t be given that franchise? Heck, even her then spokesman, who is now ambassador to Greece, admitted that Gloria had indeed asked for majority shares of Marcelo’s company, but claimed it was for the government. That was a lot of BS, since the industry was already deregulated and government barred from getting into this business. Did her allies and civil society show outrage? Heck no. They were after all, enjoying their own scam of the peace bonds.

There were countless other scams exposed — including Gloria’s cheating ways in 2004. Yet they said nothing. And did nothing.

The syndicate has gotten stronger, richer and more powerful. How do they expect to stop this massive corruption whose syndicate can be found in the highest echelons of government?

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