It's goodbye for Benjamin Abalos from a scandal-ridden career in government service.The embattled Comelec chair, fell from grace after sworn statements accused him directly of offering to bribes high ranking government officials, and a private businessman, in order to corner a multi-million dollar telecommunications contract between the government and a state-owned Chinese telecom firm.
The controversy has taken its toll not only to Abalos, but to his family, prompting him to step down.
Many hailed Abalos' decision to resign saying he has save so much government time and resources, and has spared the nation from another highly divisive impeachment process.
But others hinted Abalos resigned to protect other high officials who may be behind the telecom scandal.
Almost every national scandal has Benjamin Abalos' name stamped on it.
In the Comelec, Abalos' name surfaced prominently in the controversial billion Mega Pacific computerization deal. Abalos was said to have connections with the proponent, the Chua-controlled Photokina.
Under Abalos watch at teh Comelec, the nation witnessed unprecedented electoral scandals.
There was the Garci-scandal in the 2004 preidential elections where Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was caught in taped conversations with a Comelec commissioner.
There was the mind-boggling last minute spurt of Juan Miguel Zubiri in the 2007 senatorial elections, that saw Zubiri overtake Koko Pimentel solely due to the "magical" results in Maguindanao province.
This came after Abalos "co-incidentally" bumped with Zubiri's parents at the a posh Makati restaurant.
There are quite a number of similarities between that Zubiri episode and the NBN scandal.
Abalos claims his close encounters with the Zubiris at the height of the election canvass were by chance, in the same manner that he claims his meetings with government officials at the Wack Wack Golf were also chance encounters.
Then, the election returns of Maguindanao were 'lost' in the hands of election supervisor Lintang Bedol.
In the same way, the contract signed by Transportation Secretary Mendoza and Chinese officials also were lost one day after the signing.
Similar alibi, similar modus...simply too good to be true.
1 comment:
Mr. Editor,
China is destined to be a real world power. Why? They have the absolute advantage; competitive advantage, and the cultural advantage solely to themselves among ASEAN nations. They were criticized by Human Rights International for their decisiveness in executing two of their corrupt bureaucrats and senior members of the communist party.
Unlike the Pilipino legislators who are spineless, and yes, very smart, street smart - enacted a law to fine violators of Anti Graft Law who submits false report of their assets. The fine, a huge amount of one hundred pesos. Legislators with foresight and clear vision of things-to-come, practice brilliancy and possess the uncanny ability to protect themselves via legislation.
In Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus had shown no compassion for sinners. It is high time in the nation to teach everybody a lesson in integrity,"doing the right thing even if no one is looking", to start a new beginning. Execute those government officials who are found guilty, after legitimate and speedy trial and exercise of due process, whose legal income and wages could not justify the extent of their holdings and illegal assets.
The Philippines will become a great country if it could rid itself of billionaires and multi-millionaires whose legal income and salary is merely PHP50,000.00 a month, may be more or perhaps, less.
Justice Benjamin Nathan Cardoso said, "Justice is better served by freeing a guilty person, rather than convicting an innocent one".
(Yale Law Review:1929)
The innocent ones in the Pilipino society, 85 million or more, are dying a slow death of starvation, mal-nourishment, and hunger. Sentenced to death. The effects of mismanagement and corruption by few hundred thousand government employees and politicians, of course, with the exception of the honest ones - shall be metted with executution, after conviction, with the aid of a legal tool promulgated by the future SC, a contemporary version, of the Writ of Amparo.
The future leaders will be pardoned and justified in the celestial court above, for terminating the lives of few hundred thousand crooks in exchange for saving the lives of 85 million impoverish Pilipinos.
Emulate the lead of China. Their ancient culture may have found the antidote to corruption in the government. Are Pilipinos capable of cultural make-over, righting themselves up? I guess so. The Great Book said, it is possible.
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