Justice, not revenge

For cynics, the efforts of President Benigno Aquino III’s administration to hold his predecessor accountable for her alleged crimes against the people is an odious show of vindictiveness.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved last July 13 the filing of charges of plunder against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and others for conspiring in the misuse of at least P366 million.

Arroyo and company allegedly misspent the money from the Philppine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in the last two years of her presidency.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee earlier grilled officials of the PCSO for disbursing its intelligence funds for bomb threats, kidnapping, destabilization and terrorism, which are not part of the agency’s mandate.

Whoever was at the top of the chain of responsibility had no business legitimizing these expenditures.

Acccording to the PCSO’s official website, its charity fund “is used exclusively to finance and support health programs, medical assistance and services and/or charities of national character.

“Presently, any disbursements from the Charity Fund must not only be authorized by the PCSO Board of Directors but must also be approved by the Office of the President, regardless of the amount thereof,” the site reads.

Nearly P400 million purportedly spent on bomb threats, kidnapping, destabilization and terrorism is nearly P400 million robbed from the poor.

To think that the poor are the main patrons of the lottery tickets that the agency sells, generally do not have health insurance and are hard pressed to buy or access cheap medicine and medical services.

Did not the Arroyo administration allot huge amounts of money for defense? Why did it need to divert to security the money earmarked for charity?

Plunder, according to Republic Act 7080 otherwise known as the law on plunder, is committed when an official, alone or with others, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts public money in the aggregate amount of at least P50 million.

Let Arroyo and those charged with her have their day in court. Someone has to answer for  robbing the poor.