Miriam and the Class Goat

It’s a pity that a professional police officer like former Director Eliseo dela Paz allowed himself to be put under the limelight of shame. I mean, he served for so many years and because of this Euro general scam, he’ll go down as a disgraced officer. Dela Paz was probably asked by his mistahs in PMA Class 76 to take the fall. Poor man.

What was substantial about this Euro General investigation today is the expose if you will, of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. The good senator said that the PNP reportedly has about 650 million pesos in “secret funds” from their PNP Training program. According to Santiago, the allocated salaries of PNP trainees (about 3,500 per annum) are not being given to these trainees and kept by the PNP. By law, the PNP is supposed to take in about 3,500 trainees by January. Yet, they train these cop aspirants without pay for six months before they’re given pay. Ingenious, is’nt?

I commend Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago for this. In the past, I'm not exactly an admirer of the good senator from Iloilo. But, because of her conduct during the past two controversial probes, she regained my respect and I think, most of the people.

She asked relevant questions. She accorded respect to all witnesses and even while receiving none, you maintained exquisite composure. Your acts are presidential material.

To former Director Eliseo dela Paz, I respect you for sacrificing yourself and taking the fall. You are now PMA Class 76’s officially designated goat.

To Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, I take my hat off to you. You have showed that there are still Senators like you who possess tremendous wit, intellectual stamina and bravery. I hate to admit it, but, Madame Senator, you have turned me into one of your admirers. If you plan to take on the presidency, I would surely give my pen for you.

On another dig....

Government, it seems, has been transformed into a big mafia. I mean, syndicates are having their field day in almost all departments of government.

You have a syndicate at the Department of Agriculture, another one reportedly at the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communication, the LTO), Department of Education (those involved in the book scam), Department of Interior and Local Governments (especially within the bureau of the PNP), Department of Finance (Customs), and the BIR (of course).

Syndicates are amassing more than 30 billion pesos a year. That's the estimate of the World Bank and the Commission on Audit. That's the amount lost due to graft and corruption. Just imagine that.

Question---will we still allow this to happen? I remember the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) admonishing motorists from giving alms to these street vagrants. They say, they're part of a syndicate.

Well, with organized syndicates operating within government, which is better--give taxes and at least 30% of it will go to these syndicates inside government? Or those vagrants? I'll chose the poor anytime.