Playing with Fire
Fighting corruption
By Gonzalo Duque
WE missed the visit of Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Harry Ang Ping to Dagupan and Lingayen last Wednesday.
We were happy to learn though that he enjoyed his short but action-packed visit. He has been our buddy since our Philippine Jaycees days. He was then our national president while we skippered our Dagupan Jaycees Incorporated, along with Alex Villaflor and Chito Samson. We helped him run the organization in Manila, where we played the role of legal counsel.
We were told that our Mayor Al Fernandez made Harry over-eat because he has a weakness for our world-famous delicacy, Dagupan Bangus.
We shall join him in People’s China later this month to meet Beijing sporting officials so that we can incorporate inputs that would upgrade our local sport in a grand way.
If you know Harry, he is not one who would sit on his laurels. He is a hands-on leader, as shown by his brilliant performance as two-term congressman in Manila. Under him, we expect the PSC to be cleansed of scoundrels, and Harry is not one who would chicken out in the thick of any fight. He believes in the saying, “to the brave and industrious go the triumph and victory,” and we could see that now in the PSC where he is introducing a top-to-bottom reforms program.
At the PATAFA’s culminating games at the Narciso Ramos Sports complex, Harry was visibly moved by the harmonious relations of local Pangasinan officials led by Gov. Spines, Mayors Al Fernandez and Jonas Castañeda.
He was impressed by the accomplishments of our governor in the Capitol and the many good words he has heard about the province. So too with Mayor Al, whose fishpond delighted him no end. We’re sure he would be frequenting our city and province again because of what our officials have shown him.
Mabuhay ka, Chairman Harry. Let’s support him…because he is probably the best man for the PSC job. Lilinisin niya yan kasi ang dumi-dumi morally and legally.
If it were not of his calibre, walang magyayari sa PSC na yan.
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We were at the Ombudsman recently, and we were an unwilling witness to a seemingly inconsequential violation of the constitution which we unwittingly or unknowingly have allowed to pass seemingly unnoticed all these years.
We are referring to the practice of having the invocation. It’s admirable on the surface to know that we genuflect before the Lord Almighty, to show our piety and reverence. But we are a government of laws and are therefore obligated to follow the law, the constitution and the legal processes.
As a lawyer and a defender of the constitution, we find the invocation a violation of the rights of those who embrace other faiths and religious beliefs. We are a practicing Catholic, but we disdain the common practice of imposing the Catholic faith on everyone especially against his will. We consider it abominable that the breach and open defiance of the law were done in such an office as the Ombudsman — where respect for, and allegiance to, the law is sacrosant.
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Our common friend, Commission on Audit Chairman Rey Villar continues to receive accolades and plus points for his excellent handling the taxpayers’ money at the COA.
Was it Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile who lately cited the need for a pre-audit policy on government expenditures?
Well, Chairman Villar is a strong advocate of the pre-audit system, which is an improvement of the more common post-audit system. In the first proactive approach, mis-spending is avoided. It is an innovative if not revolutionary approach, and we should congratulate Chairman Villar for it. There you go, friends, ang taong may tunay na pagmamalasakit sa bayan ay umiisip lagi ng ating kapakanan.
Did we not describe Rey as today the toughest man in the Philippines who can audit the Supreme Court Chief Justice and the President of the Philippines? Si Rey ay kaibigan ng mga matutuwid na tao, yong mga ayaw ng korapsyon. In the same vein, kalaban siya ng mga baluktot ang sikmura na ang laging iniisip ay para sa bulsa lagi.
With Chairman Rey at the helm of COA, the days of the corrupt are numbered. Ano say nyo?
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