PNoy inclined to give Heidi Mendoza a post in his govt

President Benigno Aquino III is inclined to give former state auditor Heidi Mendoza a post in his administration, but will ask her first if she is willing to work anew for the government. “She already stated the stress that she and her family has undergone. She has already contributed. Now if she’s willing to contribute more, why not," Aquino said Thursday in a chance interview during the inauguration of a water treatment plant in Muntinlupa. But at the same time, kausapin ko muna itong taong ito [I’ll talk to her first]," Aquino said. “Baka naman lumabas na napilitan siya sa isang bagay na medyo nahirapan na rin siya. Ayoko naman mamilit [It might appear that she was forced into something that she already found difficult. I don’t want to force her]," the President added. Mendoza had followed the money trail of transactions by former military comptroller Carlos F. Garcia, who is facing a P303-million plunder suit at the Sandiganbayan. She is now jobless after leaving her post at the Asian Development Bank in preparation for her testimony against Garcia. Aquino reiterated that his administration will work for the indictment of Garcia, who is now free on bail, and will not opt for the plea bargain deal that the Ombudsman struck with the former military official. “Ang priority ko po ay mapakulong yung may kasalanan. Hindi po pwede na umiral yung paniniwala na basta magnakaw ka at mangako na ibalik yung konti e pwede na matukso yung gobyerno na makipag-aregluhan. Klarong klaro po yan," he said. (My priority is to jail the offender. We can’t allow the idea that if you engage in plunder and promise to return a part of the loot, then the government may consider a settlement. That is very clear.)—Amita O. Legaspi, GMANews.TV