Necessary reactions

Even before the twin Congressional hearings are finished, there are clear necessary actions to be done, to wit:

1. Retired Col. George Rabusa has admitted that the bulk of the “converted” money was sourced from the 20 percent unfilled positions in the AFP. Most battalions with an authorized strength of 500 each had only 400 men. This seriously affected the efficiency of the battalions and brigades in the insurgency areas. The NPAs are active nationwide.

We are talking here of the about 25,000 soldier vacancies. Current AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Ricardo David should now recruit and fill up these vacancies to close the main source of PCDA and pabaon. This will reduce our unemployment rate also.

2. The other source of conversion revealed Col. Rabusa is the long abused intelligence funds. Reaction should be: The President as Commander-in-Chief should create a top level oversight committee to tighten the watch on the use of intelligence funds. Even if kept confidential, the COA auditor should be directed to seriously audit the expenditure of intelligence funds. The Senate should direct its Committee on National Defense and Security to create a sub committee on Intelligence Oversight.

3. The Commission on Audit should adopt a two-year limit on assignments to the AFP. It is highly suspicious that COA Auditor Divina Cabrera was ISAFP auditor for 13 years.

4.To clear itself of nasty remarks, the Sandi-ganbayan should now officially disapprove the plea bargain agreement pending before it.

5. The DND/AFP should now take steps to improve its record keeping. Heidi Mendoza said it’s one big mess.

6. The DND and DILG should create with its resident Ombudsman a special task force to do a lifestyle check on its officials from Generals down to Lt. Colonel, and division chief level of its civilian personnel.

7. Former Chiefs of Staff Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu and former Vice Chiefs of Staff and Deputy Chiefs of Staff who were on Rabusa’s payola list should also be investigated. DFA must recall Ambassador Cimatu posthaste.

8. No purchase of equipment costing P50 million or more should be allowed without Congressional appropriation or approval. That is the practice in the United States. Recall the $2M payment for UAV demonstrations for which there was no budgetary item.

9. The President as Commander-in-Chief must issue a policy directive prohibiting wives and children of military and police officers from being involved in contracts with the AFP or PNP. Go to a military wedding and you will see the wives wearing big diamonds or pearls or even expensive Hermes bags.

10. The AFPSLAI and AMWSLAI should report quarterly to the Secretary of National Defense or the President officers making deposits of P1 million or more.

11. From time to time, the President should order a special audit by external auditors of the AFP or any of its units to double check the reports of the Chief of Staff, the ISAFP and the service commanders of the Army, Airforce and Navy. Somebody must watch the COA auditors, too. Heidi Mendoza can also be tapped as a Special Presidential Auditor, or Makati Business Club auditors can volunteer their availability.

12. The President should now start his search for a new COA Chairman with the impending retirement of incumbent Rey Villar. A former SGV or Cunanan auditing firms head should be tapped. Or maybe Ramon del Rosario Jr., Amb. Roberto Romulo or Jose “Titoy” Pardo can be seconded for the job even if only for two years.

13. Congress must rush approval of the Whistleblowers Act.

14. The President should renew his efforts to convince Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to accept another post and appoint a new Ombudsman. Special Prosecutor Wendell Sulit should be replaced.

The efficiency and integrity of the AFP and the PNP must be restored if we are to win the war against terrorists, insurgents and crime syndicates.

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MORE RABUSA EXPOSE. . . At his 3rd appearance at the Senate, Col. Rabusa gave the following testimony of payments: two percent of the amount left at ISAFP on conversions to ISAFP auditor Divina Cabrera, P200,000 to COA Commissioner Raul Flores for every meeting, P500,000 to Rep. Prospero Pichay everytime he visited COS Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, a Col. De Leon, Executive Assistant of COS, Gen. Roy Cimatu, P10 million. He also named the different Executive Assistants of Chief of Staffs Angelo Reyes and Diomedio Villanueva who also received the money delivered.

So many people are involved here. Col. Rabusa claimed he was converting P1 billion a year.

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NO FEAR. . . Joselito Torres, the Chief Political Officer of Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos for 16 years was shot dead by a lone gunman inside his car along Barangka Drive. Crime wave still ongoing.

In a letter to President Aquino, Mayor Abalos appealed to the President and other officials to do their best to solve the spate of brazen killings in Metro Manila.

Federico Bico, 56, his son and 2 security guards were killed when they resisted an NPA group that demanded a P30,000 revolutionary tax on their copra business in Libmanan, Camarines Sur. Bico, by daring to reject NPA extortion demands certainly died a hero. Kyung IL Lim, 39, a Korean national was murdered inside his house at high scale Ayala Alabang Village.

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TIDBITS. . . Laguna Gov. E.R. Ejercito holds his Monday flagraising ceremonies at 11 o’clock. Caloocan Mayor Recom Echeverri goes to office after lunch. Following the leader?

Senators Chiz Escudero and Antonio Trillanes are advising Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia to be a whistle blower. Gen. Garcia should do so for the sake of his wife and three sons.

The Ombudsman has dismissed the case filed by Gov. Chavit Singson against Sen. Miriam D. Santiago who called him a jueteng lord in a privilege speech, ruling Santiago has parliamentary immunity.