Perspectives

An Open Letter to the Filipino People” is  how Carmen L. Puertollano captions her message to President Benigno Aquino III. A United States Agriculture Department staff member for 35 years, she retired here in 2006.

We never met Ms Puertollano, now of barangay  Kapitolyo, Pasig  City. But a former neighbor, in our Bangkok stint with the United  Nations,  forwarded a copy. Sorry if the English translation below  does not do justice to her eloquent Tagalog.

“We Filipinos are like the Israelites of Moses’ time after their flight from Egypt. Did  they thank God? No. Reklamo nang reklamo.

“The same thing is now happening to us. We should be grateful for a President of integrity. P-Noy is not a thief. He would clean the government and hold accountable those who robbed us blind in the last decade.

“When we voted for Aquino, we knew what kind of a congressman and senator he was. We voted for him because there was no one else we could pick. We also saw he meant to uproot graft.  Remember, he was a  reluctant candidate.

“Now, some complain incessantly. It’s been a year since P-Noy’s election, they bleat, and  ‘nothing has been done.’ Scores remain jobless. Mahal ang presyo ng bilihin at iba’t iba pa…

“That’s not  Aquino’s fault. Price inflation is worldwide and cuts across borders. He has been at this job for just over a year. Give him time.

“Media reported crackdowns on graft in the Armed Forces, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes and recovery of funds from thieves in the previous regime. Are these not achievements? Who of previous presidents did this? No one!

“Thus, succeeding administrations turn to thievery with little hesitation. They try to outdo each other in fraud. My impression is that P-Noy wants to uproot this curse.

“Are you not concerned that the life and well-being of our President is threatened by the people whose interests he has affected? Let us not fan this danger. God forbid that what  happened to his father could strike him down too.

“He is laying  his life on the line. We should pray he will be given  wisdom by God, as Solomon was. If there is any way we can help him, help him.

“Nakakaawa na ngang tingnan si  P-Noy.  Dati poging-pogi. Ngayon? Pogi pa rin. Pero nangayayat na, at talagang kalbo  na… But don’t fret, Mr. President. We believe in your integrity. Filipinos who reklamo nang reklamo, can learn, from their Bible what happened to carping Israelites.”

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“Partial Redemption” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, Dec. 3)  spoke of Marcos Cojuangco  going “ballistic on live TV,” Marco Antonio Luisito V. Sardillo III  e-mailed. Thanks to ABS-CBN Karen Davila’s  invitation, “I was there” to hear Cojuangco’s apologia for  father Eduardo getting  16.2 million in San Miguel Corp. shares  courtesy of  a Supreme Court majority.

Earlier, we marched with protesting coco farmers from  San Pablo. We helped draft the Presidential Commission on Good Government’s bid for reconsideration. That backdrop explains why we rebutted Marcos Cojuangco  saying, “The only question remaining is what good has Danding Cojuangco done for these farmers?” Marcos mocked  beggared farmers by saying his father deserved a medal. That was repulsive.

There are  noteworthy points, in  Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno’s dissent that the interview did not have time to address. Some justices, for instance, claim  there is no “explicit definition of ill-gotten wealth.”

Contrary to what the ponencia wrote, there is a definition of ill-gotten wealth. Justice  Sereno  reminded  the Court it adopted  a  definition of ill-gotten wealth in Republic vs. Estate of Hans Menzi penned by Justice  Velasco. Section 1 of the PCGG also  defines ill-gotten wealth.

Robbery through the coco levy “is no longer just a mere question of law or of fact, but a simple and demonstrable truth.” The farmers  had enough of “us” lawyers. If this fight is to succeed, our farmers must reach out to nation and people.”

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“Local  government officials  keep  demanding   for ever-larger  Internal Revenue Allotments,” e-mailed lawyer Carmen  Montemayor of Danao  City. Yet LGUs “failed to use P876.8 million available in 2010 from the  20 percent Local Development Fund, as the  column “Withered Hopes” (PDI, Dec. 10) points out.

The year before, 102 LGUs idled P650.6 million. This fund is  precisely designed as a safety net for the poor, that Viewpoint commentary recalled. “Quick to junket or crib allowances for themselves, many local officials  prove inept—or indifferent—to projects that relieve penury.”

“To cross-check, I leafed through the latest  Commission on Audit annual report (Vol. III) on local governments,” Montemayor said. “I paid special attention to the what DILG  Secretary Jesse Robredo calls the “most abused item in  the budget, namely, the “20 percent Local Development Fund.”

“Expenditures for personal services and regular maintenance expenses continued to be charged to this fund despite rules to the contrary, COA found.

Talisay City, for example, billed this Fund for P27.8 million of unimplemented  projects.  Marikina  funneled 15 percent of its  P135.6 million Fund in violation of rules. COA  rapped  Davao Oriental province’s  knuckles earlier for misuse of the 20 percent LDF last year. It doled out P1.98 million, again in violation of guidelines. So did Cabanatuan,  Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, Sulu, etc.

“This is en masse violation. And it  calls for tougher measures because the poor are the victims,” Ms Montemayor wrote. “Specifically,   I propose mandatory cuts from salaries of  local officials who plunder this Fund.”