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.

De la Paz Watch

What's keeping former PNP Comptroller Eliseo de La Paz from returning the 6.5 million pesos which he says are "contingency funds"? Two Euro generals already returned theirs. Prior to his controversial arrival, Dela Paz says that he has complete documentation on these funds and he can account for all of them.

Now, it has been two weeks and still no receipts and no disbursements. Mr. General Sir, are you not conscious of the embarrassment the entire nation went through because of you? If you say that it's our money, then, give it all back to us! 

Are you not ashamed of this? Tagalugin ko na--mahiya ka naman, Mr. General sir. Kala mo siguro ligtas ka na sa pananagutan dahil sa isyu ni Bolante.

I can't blame you and five other Euro generals. What's 6.5 Million compared to the 758 million that Bolante took from public coffers. That amount is what we call "mumo".

Nonetheless, being an Officer and a Gentleman and a product of the PMA pa naman, Mr. dela Paz has the accountability for this. 

Ibalik mo na pera namin, Mr. dela Paz. Kala mo siguro lusot ka na.

Philippine Military Academy alumnus and your Mistah Salvador Mison of Class 1955 issued a statement urging every PMA'er to be conscious of their Honor Code. Mr. General sir, are you not?

Or, you're not afraid of your mistah, PNP Chief Director-General Jesus Verzosa? Have you no shame?

Or, Mr. General sir, those funds are really NOT public funds. Or, you just don't feel responsible? 

Or, maybe, just maybe sir, it's really NOT part of the PNP Intelligence Fund?

Lest you forget, Mr. dela Paz, you promised to serve, protect and defend the People. You promised to be accountable for all your acts.

Mr. dela Paz, the People ask you to give us back our money.

Akala mo siguro, nakalimutan na namin ang kontrobersya mo?

General Verzosa to do a General Lastimoso?

Seems that PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa confirmed what I stumbled upon at Chiching about the true nature of the money which Director Eliseo Dela Paz had with him in Moscow. It's not contingency fund. Rather, it's allegedly for the purchase of surveillance equipment. Go check TV Patrol. 

You can find that juicy story here.

One question though--it's interesting to know why these Euro generals swapped their intelligence fund for Euros? I travel a lot. And the normal practice is, you swap your pesos with US dollars. Why Euros? Maybe to buy Vuitton bags? 

Or, maybe the money were actually jueteng money, as what Senator Pimentel alleges and were to be laundered in some bank abroad?

And also....am I seeing a repeat of what happened to former General Roberto Lastimoso? Will we see the resignation of Verzosa, like what Lastimoso did before?

Is this one of the signs before we see a bright morning? Abangan!