Bishops’ group: Expand ‘pabaon’ probe to PNP

Amid allegations of "pabaon" (sendoff money) for retiring top brass of the Armed Forces, a group of Catholic and Protestant bishops called on government Saturday to also look into possible similar practices in the Philippine National Police (PNP). The Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) said the investigation is necessary to unearth allegations of corruption in the PNP, “whose reputation has gone down." “We also pray that something similar to this [investigation in the military] will come out from the ranks of the PNP," the EBF said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site Saturday night. Signing the statement for the group were Protestant Bishop Elmer Bocolon, EBF executive secretary, and EBF co-chairmen Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. and Methodist Bishop Solito Toquero. The EBF said the investigation can also touch on the reported involvement of police officers in human rights violations and even heinous crimes. At the same time, the group threw its support behind former state auditor Heidi Mendoza and former military budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa, who testified in recent congressional hearings on irregularities in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It said both Mendoza and Rabusa are "driven by the desire to put a stop to the malpractices in the military which adversely affect the military institution, especially the foot soldiers who are in the front lines in the battle fields, as well as the public funds which are supposed to be judiciously put to proper use." Meanwhile, the EBF said it hopes the congressional inquiries on the matter will not only end in the revision of laws “but to the prosecution of the perpetrators of these anomalies and the restitution of public funds." Aglipayan church backs whistleblowers Meanwhile, another religious group threw its support behind the witnesses who testified on alleged corruption in the AFP. “We applaud Ms. Heidi Mendoza and retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa for demonstrating a courageous spirit in exposing to the world the massive corruption within the AFP," said Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) supreme bishop Godofredo David, in an article posted also on the CBCP news site. “Their expose accentuates public criticism about the use of military aid, expensive military modernization programs, and well-oiled counterinsurgency campaigns principally as milking cows for AFP senior officials, at the expense of rank-and-file soldiers, the sons and daughters of the Filipino peasants and workers," David added. On the other hand, he said the suicide of former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, who shot himself in front of his mother's grave in Marikina City last Tuesday, should not interrupt the investigation into the irregularities. (See: Ex-AFP chief Angelo Reyes kills self before ma’s grave) Reyes had allegedly received P50 million in "pabaon" (sendoff money) upon his retirement from the military. (See: Witness: Ex-AFP chief Angelo Reyes got P50-M 'pabaon') On Saturday, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) released a report about “discussion notes" that Reyes had prepared supposedly for an aborted interview with PCIJ. "I did not invent corruption. I walked into it. Perhaps my first fault was in having accepted aspects of it as a fact of life," Reyes supposedly said in the note, which a “senior trusted associate" jotted down. (See: Reyes' last statement: 'I walked into corruption') IFI’s David said Reyes' death “should not interrupt the ongoing investigations and make those who are responsible answer for their crimes." “The unfortunate death of General Angelo Reyes amidst the ongoing investigation should compel President Benigno Aquino III to order the authorities to step up the investigation. His death, however regretful, demonstrates that Mendoza and Rabusa tipped upon a Pandora’s Box, one which the AFP does not want to be opened and more so for the people to know," he said. David also urged Aquino to give Mendoza and Rabusa all the protection and support they needed so they can continue to testify without fear for their lives. “He [Aquino] must seriously pursue the investigations and ensure that those accountable for corruption in the AFP are placed behind bars," he said. ‘Exposés just tip of iceberg’ Meanwhile, a prominent Maranao leader of a Marawi City-based civil society organization said Mendoza’s and Rabusa’s exposés are just the tip of the iceberg. Hadji Abdullah Dalidig, chairperson of the Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Government (IMERGG), also challenged Aquino to pursue investigations of alleged corruption in the AFP for the sake of Mindanao residents, who he said are continually suffering because of the decades-old conflict between the AFP and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Daligdig said former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo likely benefited from the corruption "at the expense of the Mindanaoans who are suffering from the decades-old conflict." He reminded Aquino that the face of AFP corruption is the conflict in Mindanao, hinting at Oplan Greenbase, which the Arroyo administration had dismissed as fake. Oplan Greenbase, first exposed by now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, is allegedly Arroyo’s secret order to the military to attack the Buliok Complex, the headquarters of the MILF, so it can be opened for commercial development purposes, specifically the planting of palm trees for the extraction of palm oil. AFP welcomes BIR probe As this developed, the AFP welcomed also on Saturday a reported plan by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to look into the alleged ill-gotten wealth of some of its officials. AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said they have no problem with the plan because the military is for transparency, openness, and accountability. “Wala pong problema yan. Paulit-ulit naming sinasabi, we are for transparency, we are for openness and everyone should be accountable," Mabanta said in an interview on government-run dzRB radio. (We have no problem with that. We have been saying over and over that we are for transparency and openness, and that everyone should be accountable.) Earlier reports indicated the BIR plans to examine the records of some military officials, particularly those suspected of getting ill-gotten wealth.—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMA News