Akbayan pickets PCGG, demands Abcede’s resignation

The militant group Akbayan picketed the offices of the Presidential Commission on Good Government in Mandaluyong City yesterday and called for the resignation of PCGG commissioner for assets and management Ricardo Abcede.

Some 40 Akbayan members called for Abcede’s resignation after he announced last week PCGG plans to enter into a compromise deal with the family and cronies of ousted former President Ferdinand Marcos.

Meanwhile, the congressman-son of former President Corazon Aquino has expressed willingness to support moves in the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged deal the PCGG has struck with the Marcoses regarding their ill-gotten wealth.

Tarlac Rep. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III opined that in effect, the government, through the PCGG, had "rewarded" the Marcoses by agreeing to enter into a compromise agreement.

Akbayan is a party-list group led by Rep. Etta Rosales who has been calling for Abcede’s resignation, though she was not at the rally yesterday.

Abcede earlier said the PCGG would push through with plans for exploratory talks with former First Lady Imelda Marcos to pave the way for a compromise deal on the recovery of the ill-gotten wealth of the late strongman’s family.

One of the demands reportedly being raised is the dropping of all ill-gotten wealth cases filed against the Marcos family before the Sandiganbayan.

The Akbayan protest was peaceful though the protesters were barred from entering PCGG premises. The group dispersed an hour later.

Abcede also vowed not to waste his time answering his critics, saying he will instead focus on working for the resolution of over 500 ill-gotten wealth cases pending before the courts.

One of the allegations made against the PCGG’s commissioners and its chairman, Camilo Sabio, is that they have enjoyed perks as a result of sitting on the boards of various sequestered Marcos assets.

Abcede denied enjoying any perks, saying they only receive per diems each quarter, when board meetings are held.

He also said there is no violation of the law when PCGG officials sit as board members in sequestered firms, adding that they are mandated to do this to protect the interests of the government and prevent the disposition of these companies’ assets.

He also labeled Rosales a "communist supporter," saying Rosales "is a bitter human rights (abuse) victim with a bolo in her hand and such is a caricature rather than a true picture of the noble human rights victim. I’m sure that if I had invited (Communist Party of the Philippines spokesman Gregorio Rosal) or (CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison) to my birthday party, Etta wouldn’t be making such noise."

Congressman Aquino, namesake of the slain senator whose August 1983 murder sparked protests that led to the February 1986 ouster of Marcos, said there are just two issues that can be raised in the deal — settlement and reward.

He said the current moves of the PCGG — which is tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their cronies — would only "encourage" erring public officials to steal more so that they can be rewarded later.

Aquino likewise debunked the argument that nothing would be achieved if the government just waited patiently for the outcome of cases already filed in courts, such as the Sandiganbayan, some as early as two decades ago.

House Deputy Majority Leader Edcel Lagman earlier said the PCGG seemed to be "shadowboxing" and not doing its job, since it had seemingly failed in its task to recover the late strongman’s unexplained wealth. — Sandy Araneta, Delon Porcalla