Letter to the Editor - You are not alone

Corruption is not a victimless crime. Businessmen suffer because there is no level playing field. Foreign investment slows down. Higher taxes do not necessarily result in better governance services and infrastructure works.

Corruption deprives. It benefits a few. It makes the poor poorer and demeans all of us.

The latest five-year SWS survey shows that corruption has become part of our system. Two-thirds of enterprise managers from five major urban centers in the Philippines perceive public sector corruption as "very bleak."

The same survey shows that among 26 government agencies, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Public Works and Highways and Bureau of Customs are perceived as having the lowest net sincerity in fighting corruption.

BIR's net sincerity ranks third to the last with a -59 rating. Nearly three fourths of the respondents say that it is tax collectors who tempt citizens to cheat and not the other way around. In fact, there has been a slight decline in the giving of bribes in relation to income taxes, from 52 percent of the surveyed enterprise managers in the year 2000 down to 30 percent at present.

The picture presented by the said survey seems to be confirmed by the recent entrapment operation against two BIR officers. On the one hand, we salute the courage of Leonila Montero for filing a charge against the two officers who allegedly tried to extort money from her. On the other hand, this alleged attempt at extortion confirms the negative image of the BIR.

The action of Ms. Montero serves as deterrent to the erring government personnel who deprive our nation of much-needed funds. There are still people who will make a stand against corruption. Ms. Montero, you are not alone.

But this is just the tip of an iceberg. The complainant cannot do it alone. Creating a corruption-intolerant culture is everybody's concern. As a corruption-intolerant Church based movement, Barug! Pilipino calls upon the Office of Ombudsman and other concerned government offices to continue without let-up their fight against corruption. We call for no whitewash in the investigation and trial.

There are still many honest workers at the BIR and government. We encourage whistleblowers and anti-corruption crusaders to stand up and reveal the whole truth. We also call upon all the Christian faithful and all citizens in business, government, media, etc. who love their country to contribute their share in the fight against corruption.

We can do something. Evil will not triumph.
Fr. Carmelo O. Diola
Vice-Chairman
Barug! Pilipino, Inc.