Truth body no more time to waste — Malacañang

Malacañang said Saturday the Truth Commission created to look into alleged abuses of the Arroyo administration has no more time to waste, as it welcomed the team's “open for business" stance. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte also defended the Truth Commission from parties questioning its constitutionality, saying there is no restraining order from the court to stop it for now. “We welcome this development in the sense na hindi tayo nagsasayang ng oras. Kaunti ang oras na binigay sa kanila mabuti nagsisimula na sila (We welcome this development because we are no longer wasting time. The truth body has little time to work with so it is good that they started now. "In their own words they are open for business and to receive complaints on the issues under their parameters," she said on government-run dzRB radio. The Truth Commission headed by former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. on Friday said it is ready to receive complaints on alleged abuses under the Arroyo administration. President Benigno Aquino III’s Executive Order No. 1 had given the Truth Commission until December 31, 2012 to complete its work. "We all know there is a pending challenge on the constitutionality of the EO creating the Truth Commission. But Chairman and former Chief Justice divide pointed out that this issue should not bog down the commission’s work as the Supreme Court has not issued a TRO yet," she said. In the meantime, she said all logistical and organizational concerns have been cleared, and the Commission can do its work. “Given the nature of its task, it is better that the commission go about its work in the absence of a TRO and not worry about that," she said in Filipino. Meanwhile, Valte admitted she is not aware if the members of the commission will be working pro bono or will have compensations. “As far as compensation of the commissioners are concerned I am not aware if they are to receive compensation for that," she said. 'Toothless in the end?' A critic of the new administration has expressed fears the Truth Commission may end up toothless. Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz made the assessment as he said Malacañang may meddle again with the panel's findings as it did with the report of the team that probed into the August 23 hostage tragedy. “Malacañang will probably meddle again and select whom to charge, whom not to charge and whom to dismiss, just like what happened to the (Incident Investigation Review Committee or IIRC)," Cruz, who Aquino had described as a “grumpy old man," said in an article posted Friday night on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site. He was referring to the IIRC report, which was subjected to another round of reviews led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and chief presidential legal counsel Eduardo de Mesa. The Palace review cleared some personalities recommended for sanctions by the IIRC for the hostage tragedy, including interior undersecretary Rico Puno. Still, Cruz said the commission appears to be composed of very able legal minds. “Therefore it will be hard to overrule their findings with the so-called Malacañang legal panel," he said. Earlier on Friday, the Truth Commission announced it is open to receive complaints of graft and corruption during Mrs. Arroyo’s term. But the commission cannot act for now after Mrs. Arroyo’s ally, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, asked the Supreme Court to declare the commission illegal as he contested its constitutionality. Earlier, Cruz said he takes no offense at being called a grumpy old man by Aquino, but said he will continue to criticize perceived irregularities in his administration. “I’ll continue to do what I’m doing which is pointing out to realities in the administration which could help it better serve its purpose," Cruz said in an article on the CBCP news site. Cruz advised Aquino to instead discern between criticism that is meant to help, and criticism just meant to harm his administration. Last Monday, Aquino had lashed out at Cruz, who he likened to the old characters in the “Grumpy Old Men" movie. Aquino also pointed out Cruz never had good words for his administration. “I think the Bible says: ‘Blessed are the persecuted’ so I want to thank him because I would be blessed," he had said. Cruz said he was not offended by Aquino’s comments against him but warned that grumpy old man could get grumpier as he gets older. “I thank him for this observation because it comes from the President, but now he can be assured that I’ll be older and grumpier," Cruz said. “The older you get, the grumpier you become. I think that is the law of nature. There is nothing exceptionally extraordinary about that," he added. Cruz had questioned Aquino on the persistence of the illegal but popular numbers game jueteng under his supposedly “walking-on-straight-path" administration. The former archbishop also linked some officials under Aquino, including interior undersecretary Rico Puno and former police chief Jesus Verzosa, to jueteng payolas. Also, Cruz had questioned Aquino for not adopting the full recommendations of the IIRC. — LBG, GMANews.TV