‘Time to end coddling of grafters’

President Arroyo vowed yesterday to stamp out graft and corruption in both the civilian and military agencies of the government through lawful and legal means provided for under the 1987 Constitution.

"This is the time to put an end to coddling, looking the other way, or whitewashing graft investigations. It is a time for all Filipinos to prove that we are not mired in a culture of corruption and that we can decisively shake off the stigma of being called a corrupt society," the President said in statement.

She appointed the other day Constancia de Guzman, who is concurrently her appointments secretary at the Office of the President (OP), to head one of the two task forces she created at the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) to institute reforms and anti-corruption mechanisms in the military.

Mrs. Arroyo also directed Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to implement the two task forces to effectively carry out her administration’s anti-corruption campaign at the AFP.

The President took the cue that reforms must be instituted when more than 300 renegade soldiers took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center luxury apartment in Makati City last July 27 to raise their "grievances" and allegations of graft and corruption in the DND-AFP.

"Let all allegations of graft and corruption come to light and be brought responsibly and openly before the bar of justice. I am referring to both the military and civilian sectors," Mrs. Arroyo urged.

"We live in a mature democratic system that can repair its infirmities through the institutions of duly constituted governance. Let us confront the challenge without resorting to the use of force or coercion. Let us not lose faith in the restorative powers of democracy," she added.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye reiterated the President’s assurance that "whistleblowers" against corrupt officials and grafters at the AFP will be protected.

This, he said, is to destroy the myth that men in uniform must resort to activities like the July 27 mutiny to expose wrongdoing inside the military establishment.

"Our President has been always open to these kinds of complaints. She has been inviting those with information to share with this government and this would be given appropriate investigations," Bunye said.

"Those who were sent to detention were those who used other means which are not sanctioned by our laws such as rebellion and planting of bombs in commercial centers. These are not acknowledged as the proper means under our laws," Bunye pointed out.