Arroyo makes last-minute appointments, says ex-CSC chief

MANILA, Philippines - The next President has about a month to put in place a new Cabinet. According to the 1987 Constitution, the outgoing President is not allowed to appoint any Cabinet member 2 months before the upcoming elections or starting March 11, 2010.

But Karina Constatino-David, former Civil Service Commission (CSC) chair, says the President is making last-minute appointments as an “obvious attempt to control the next government.”

Among Constitutional bodies, David pointed out to abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak the recent appointment of Francisco Duque as CSC chair.

CSC Chairman Francisco Duque III:

· Confirmed appointment: February 3, 2010
· Duration of term according to the constitution: 7 fixed years
· Congress: 15th, 16th and first year of the 17th Congress
· Replaced Ricardo Saludo as CSC chair after the CA rejected his appointment last September 2009. Saludo was appointed CSC chair last April 21, 2008.
· Appointed Health Secretary last 2005, resigned January 2010.

Constitutional bodies, according to Article IX, Section 1 of the Constitution, are independent of the President. To further emphasize the Commissions’ independence, the Constitutes states that they “enjoy fiscal autonomy. Their approved annual appropriations are automatically and regularly released.” (Read the common provisions of Article 9 in the Constitution)

The chairs and commissioners of the Commissions have fixed terms. This means that if they are appointed by the current President, the next President does not have the liberty to dismiss them unless for cause and only after investigation. The chairs have 7 years in office.

Office of the Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is the office that acts on complaints filed against government officials and employees—even those in government-owned or controlled corporations. (Read more: Section 12, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution)

According to David, the following are crucial posts. (Read: Arroyo to fill up 2 more sensitive posts before ban)

Outgoing Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio
· Term ending: February 24, 2010
· Duration of term according to the Constitution: 7 fixed years
· Reappointment not allowed

Outgoing Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez
· Term ending: March 4, 2010
· Duration of term according to the Constitution: 7 fixed years
· Reappointment not allowed

Terms of PAGCOR chair and AFP chief of staff

There are moves in both houses of Congress to bestow fixed terms on the Armed Forces chief of staff and the chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). The Pagcor chair and AFP chief of staff do not have fixed terms.

Pagcor is one of the government’s revenue generating corporations—a big source of discretionary funds for the Office of the President because a big chunk of its revenues is directed to the President’s Social Fund.

The corporation was created to regulate all “games of chance,” particularly the casino gaming industry. Its funds, according to its mandate, will be for the government’s socio-civic national development efforts and to help boost the country’s tourism industry. (Know more about Pagcor)

Pagcor Chairman Efraim Genuino
· House bill 6812 (mother bill 6989) filed by House Speaker Prospero “Boy” Nograles, member of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD political party
- Seeks to fix the term of the Chairman and all board directors between 3 to 7 years
· Genuino was somewhat linked to the Jose Pidal controversy last 2003 because he was seen leaving with boxes of unknown contents at the Arroyo’s building in Legaspi Village , Makati where the First Gentleman holds office.
· Genuino was also linked to the "Hello, Garci" scandal last 2004 elections; he met with former Comelec commisisioner Virgilio Garcillano at the Manila Diamond Hotel.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff Victor Ibrado
· Appointed: May 1, 2009 (replacing former chief of staff Gen. Alexander Yano)
· Expiration of term: March 10, 2010
· Replacement or extension of Ibrado is still to be decided
· Senate Bill 31 filed by former AFP Chief of Staff Senator Rodolfo Biazon
- Seeks to have a fixed term of 3 years for the AFP chief of staff. The term shall commence on the date of appointment, not the date of confirmation by the CA.
- Prohibits the appointment of an AFP whose active service will expire in less than 1 year.
- No term extension is allowed unless when there is war or
- Chief of Staff could be removed by the President for loss of confidence.

· Presidential hopefuls Senators Benigno Aquino III and Manuel Villar Jr. and Senator Francis Escudero signed a manifesto urging Arroyo to allow Ibrado to continue the leadership of the military during the critical phase of the May 2010 elections.

· Biazon prefers that Ibrado stay in post to erase doubt of a partisan military in the upcoming elections (Read: Will Arroyo retain Ibrado as AFP chief?)

Other appointees

Philippine Tourism General Manager Mark Lapid

- Appointed as acting-General Manager: June 3, 2008
- Appointed General Manager: April 14, 2009
- Term expiration: 2015
- According to Presidential Decree 1400 amending Section 13 of PD 564: he shall have a fixed term of 6 years

- He could serve after his term while waiting for his successor to by appointed and qualified.

National Anti-Poverty Council (NAPC)

Accreditation for new members of the basic sectors of the NAPC is being rushed by the President as their terms will end this February, according to NAPC-non government organizations council office in charge Karen Tañada.

The NAPC Basic Sectors consist of more or less 300 organizations representing marginalized groups in the country.

In an exchange of e-mails with this writer, Tañada said that they received a memo from the NAPC secretariat last February 2, 2010 saying that the general assemblies for the NAPC basic sectors would be held on February 5-7, 2010—revising an earlier announcement that it was going to be held on February 16-18.

She said this is an order from the Office of the President.

The general assembly is a venue wherein NAPC basic sector councils will be replaced. The current members’ terms were extended and were supposed to end July 2008, Tañada said.

Last August 2008, the President issued Administration Order 187 which provides new qualifications for sectoral groups to be nominated and be part of the council.

“The process for replacing these (current) members of NAPC Basic Sector Councils is through Sectoral General Assemblies but we had long debates about the process for this when Pres. Arroyo issued new guidelines inAO 187,” Tañada said.

She questioned the eligibility for membership of the councils such as having national constituency of the nominated groups. She said that at least 50% of the current sectoral council members are not qualified and that this would defeat the idea of having basic sectors at the grassroots—not really nationally represented.

The new process of organization selection would also need the recommendation of the Lead Convenor of NAPC, who is currently Domingo Panganiban.

“The timing of the administration’s push for the sectoral assemblies and elections of basic sector representatives despite all protests and difficulty, makes us suspect that this is being done to saddle
the new administration with sectoral representatives handpicked from the limited basic sector organizations that are willing or were tailored to meet A.O. 187 requirements, and beholden to the current administration. And since Gloria Macapagal Arroyo insists on playing a critical role in the coming Congress after June 30, 2010, her various appointees, including the "basic sectors" can support her game plan,” she said in a statement.

Use of NAPC funds

Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8425, or the law that institutionalizes NAPC, established the People’s Development Trust Fund (PDTF) monitored by the NAPC.

The PDTF, amounting to P4.5 billion, is funded from the earnings of PAGCOR in addition to the appropriations by Congress.

According to the law, the President has the power to assign to any existing government department or agency the administration of the PDTF—based on the expertise, orientation or focus of the department or agency.

SC can block Arroyo's appointment of new Chief Justice: Bernas

MANILA, Philippines - Even without a formal petition filed before it, the Supreme Court (SC) on its own could put an end to the raging controversy surrounding President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s possible naming of a chief justice during the period covered by the election appointment ban, according to constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas.

In a forum organized by the watchdog group Supreme Court Appointments Watch (SCAW), Bernas, dean emeritus of the Ateneo de Manila Law School, said the SC, motu propio or on its own accord, could rule on the constitutionality of Arroyo’s selection of a replacement for Chief Justice (CJ) Reynato Puno.

If Arroyo forces the issue and appoints the next chief justice, he said the SC could strike it down without waiting for a party to lodge a petition.

Puno will retire on May 17, and Mrs. Arroyo would then have 44 days left in office.

Under the 1987 Constitution, an outgoing president is barred from making appointments two months before an election and until the end of his or her term. In the case of Mrs. Arroyo, she cannot issue midnight appointments from March 10 to June 30.

Precedent cases

Citing the case involving the disputed appointments of judges Mateo Valenzuela and Placido Vallarta to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in May 1998, Bernas stressed that the SC en banc went ahead on its own and invalidated the judges’ appointments since these were well within the period covered by the election appointment ban.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, a former Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) member, said that in this particular case, no other party was involved, and the SC treated it as an administrative matter right after then Chief Justice Andres Narvasa received the letters from Malacañang appointing Valenzuela and Vallarta to the RTC.

However, Drilon said he doubts the current SC would, on its own initiative, take this step. He noted that 14 out of the 15 sitting justices were appointed to the High Court by Mrs. Arroyo.

Puno was appointed to the bench by former President Fidel Ramos, but he was named Chief Justice by President Arroyo in December 2006.

Surprised with Puno's stand

Puno’s stand on the matter would have been instructive on how SC will handle the issue, but Bernas admitted he "cannot understand" why the chief justice made a recent statement supporting the argument that the chief justice post should not be left vacant during the election period.

Puno said having a chief justice is crucial once election cases start to roll in. The chief justice chairs the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, which resolves disputes involving the presidential race.

JBC member Rep. Matias Defensor, a known Arroyo ally, gave the same reason when he proposed that the JBC hold an early nomination for Puno’s replacement. He did not attend the forum although he confirmed that he would.

Bernas shook his head at this opinion, noting that an acting chief justice could head the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. “All I can say is I cannot understand why Puno is saying that,” he said.

Constitutional crisis feared

In the event the JBC does not submit a list and President Arroyo appoints a chief justice during the period of the appointment ban, Bernas said this would trigger a constitutional crisis as this would be a blatant violation of the Constitution.

He said the worst-case scenario is widespread protest in response to Arroyo's midnight appointment. Asked if he would join the protest, Bernas said: "Why not?"

Drilon said the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), which comprises all those who passed the bar, should lead the protest.

IBP chief of staff and general counsel Rodolfo Urbiztondo said the IBP does not have an official stand yet on the issue.

'Accessory to the crime'

Bernas said that a justice who accepts an appointment under these circumstances would be an "accessory to the crime" since the appointment would constitute a "culpable violation of the Constitution," and this means the new chief justice may be impeached.

Drilon urged the JBC not to submit a list of nominees during the period of the election appointment ban since Mrs. Arroyo will surely take advantage of it and appoint a new chief justice.

In case this happens, Drilon said he will seek an injunction from the Supreme Court. He supported Bernas' view that the SC, motu propio or on its own, may stop the JBC from submitting its list of nominees to the president.

Possible compromise

Bernas said it is possible to implement the two contradictory provisions in the Constitution on the election appointment ban and the need to fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court within 90 days from time Puno retires on May 17.

The solution, Bernas said, is to prevent President Arroyo from naming the next chief justice and to just let the next president make the appointment. He noted that the next chief executive would still have 45 days left or until August 15 to choose the next chief justice from the time he or she assumes office on June 30, 2010.

This way, Bernas said the two provisions in the Constitution would be followed.

Bernas and Drilon said no less than the credibility of the Supreme Court is at stake, especially if the next president does not recognize Arroyo's appointment of the new chief justice.

Stop the JBC

Meanwhile, amid a heated debate over the issue, the JBC last Wednesday opened the application for the next chief justice with more than 100 days to go before Puno leaves the top post in the judiciary.

SCAW executive director Vincent Lazatin decried that this move is highly "abnormal" since the JBC usually starts accepting applications 40 days before a vacancy is created.

Bernas said, however, that opening the selection process does not violate the Constitution.

The legal problem only arises when the JBC transmits its shortlist to the Office of the President. Bernas noted that Arroyo would still have ample time to appoint the Chief Justice if the list is submitted right after Puno's retirement.

But Bernas said the JBC may be prevented from submitting its list if the SC issues a temporary restraining order.

Senators oppose government calamity plan

MANILA, Philippines - Senators expressed yesterday strong opposition to Malacañang’s decision to declare the whole country under a state of calamity and even extending it to a year, saying it might lead to abuses on the part of the executive branch and misuse of funds.

President Arroyo last week issued Proclamation 1898 placing the entire country under a state of calamity.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Senators Benigno Aquino III, Manuel Villar Jr., Manuel Roxas II, Francis Escudero, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano all warned against relaxed rules in the disbursement of funds during a state of calamity, which Malacañang and local government units might abuse.

The senators questioned why the entire nation was placed under a state of calamity when not all areas were affected by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”

They said this would give local government units (LGUs) power to spend their calamity funds for other purposes. With the general elections approaching, the funds could be misused, the senators said.

They argued that the state of calamity should only be for a few months since prolonging it would give wrong signals to the international community and create a bad image for the country before prospective investors.

Aquino said the move was like “closing the barn door after the horses left” since government should have prepared for disasters.

He said rules in the disbursement and utilization of funds were more relaxed under a state of calamity because of the urgency for their use. “When you declare that is going to be for a year, there might be calls for augmentation as far as those funds depleted are concerned. (The question is) will all the funds really address the calamity or will be used for something else because the rules have been relaxed?” Aquino said.

Villar, for his part, said the task of rebuilding was needed to help typhoon victims to truly recover from the tragedy but this would not merit too drastic actions and sweeping calls from the government.

More bad than good

The Makati Business Club, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines and the Federation of Philippine Industries, among other business groups, also expressed alarm about the planned extension of the state of calamity status.

They said it could create more problems for the country such as job losses and supply shortage. Other business groups even fear that it may lead to a state of emergency and the exercise of police powers.

“It is understandable that we have to prioritize the needs of the flood victims but we have to take into account the repercussions of our actions to other sectors. In this case, if the business sector will be affected, it will have a chain reaction if our economy will slow down because of it,” Villar said.

He said there is a need to put a semblance of normalcy to the people’s lives as soon as possible.

“This early, the concerned government departments and agencies should already put in place mechanisms to ensure the stable supply of food until next year. At the same time, help should be extended to farmers who suffered losses due to the typhoons,” he said.

Roxas, for his part, said placing the whole country under state of calamity was a knee jerk and overreaction. “This was not carefully thought out. It was very clear that in Mindanao, there were no rains,” he said.

He agreed with Escudero and Santiago that funds for projects could be disbursed without bidding and checks and balances since the laws on procurement might be sidestepped.

“Price control should only be in areas affected be calamities,” Roxas said, adding that the extra powers and leeway for government under a state of calamity could be used for “last two minutes” or midnight deals and the coming elections.

Santiago, on the other hand, said that the prolonged declaration of state of calamity could be counterproductive in the long run since it would cause the release of the calamity funds of all the local government units.

She said the state of calamity could be limited to three months and make people return to normalcy the soonest time possible.

No need for supplemental budget

Santiago also objected to the passage of a P10-billion supplemental budget for the victims of Ondoy because the executive branch has more than enough funds to provide for them.

“We don’t need a supplemental budget. Last year, when we were discussing the budget for 2009, Congress allocated appropriations even beyond the amounts that were sought by Malacañang for certain government offices. If we take back all those amounts that were added to the budget of certain government departments, we will be able to source the much-needed funds for our rehabilitation efforts,” Santiago said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also said they were no longer sure if Congress could pass the supplemental budget before the break next week.

“It’s (joint resolution) being worked out by the House (of Representatives). It must emanate from the House. I don’t know if they have approved it,” Enrile said.

Asked about the chances of the budget being approved, Enrile said: “Malabo na ngayon (It’s a long shot).”

He said he could not remember if there was an agreement to have the budget passed before the congressional recess and would just wait for the advice of Sen. Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, regarding the matter.

Zubiri voiced the same concern but said a special session could be called if the budget was really needed.

But Santiago said it would be easy to augment the calamity funds simply by asking the President to exercise her power to transfer appropriations.

“I do not want a prolonged state of calamity, because in the same way that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, calamity tends to corrupt. The longer the declaration of a state of calamity, the longer the corruption,” Santiago said.

However, Enrile said that placing the country under a state of calamity was okay to protect the public during times of crises.

He argued that a state of calamity was acceptable because there is a need to control the rise of prices, especially prime commodities, during such time.

“This is not the first time that that is done. It has been done post-Marcos many times. It has been done during the Marcos years and it was done also even before the Marcos years,” Enrile said, adding that it can be declared beyond the term of the President.

Palace: No excessive use of power

But Malacañang assured that there will be no excessive use of state powers for the duration of the nationwide state of calamity even if the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been mobilized to enforce price controls amid pockets of violence from some businesses defying orders not to increase prices of basic goods.

The Palace also appealed to critics to stop blaming the government for the destruction brought about by the two typhoons.

Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said that while different parts of the country, including Metro Manila, are facing numerous crises--health, garbage, and education-- the government will not go overboard in exercising its powers while the declaration of the state of calamity is in effect.

He said the main tools of the authorities, particularly local government units, in addressing the problems remain to be the use of their emergency funds and enforcement of price ceilings, both triggered once a state of calamity is declared.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez earlier said that under general welfare provisions of the Constitution, the state can take over vital installations during emergencies, and the current calamity can also be considered a national emergency.

He, however, said that the situation, while serious, does not warrant the exercise of extraordinary powers of the government.

“Those (violent incidents and threats) are focused on certain persons, groups of people with a certain interest so we don’t see any widespread disorder in the streets. We are focused on rebuilding communities as of the moment,” he said.

Mrs. Arroyo also ordered that lands near the permanent relocation sites for families displaced by the calamity be developed for agri-business to sustain the new communities.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, for his part, said it’s not definite yet if the government could prolong the declaration of a state of calamity in the entire country for one year.

“That’s speculative,” he said.

Admin lawmakers lashed at MBC

Coming to the defense of the President, administration lawmakers appealed to the Makati Business Club (MBC), a perpetual critic of President Arroyo, to be humane enough and understand the sorry plight of victims who were hit by the typhoons.

“This is an extraordinary time and extraordinary steps are required to be taken. I think the one-year period (for state of calamity) is necessary to impress upon the people and businesses about the depth of the situation and the need to do something about it,” Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao said.

The MBC is a group of businessmen based in the financial district of Makati City. Its members are mostly employers of big companies in the Philippines, who employ thousands that generate jobs locally.

Rep. Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina, however, lashed out at MBC, saying the group should set aside its “self-serving financial goals” and realize that the people are rebuilding their lives after the two typhoons.

“They should be more contributive to the restoration of devastated areas than to be anarchic moguls,” he said, seeing the government focus on slowly bringing things back to normal in the country.

Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, on the other hand, said the MBC should not paint a grim picture of the government’s plan to extend the state of calamity for a year. It would be better for them if they could come up with a counter-proposal, he suggested.

“The MBC should first check with the administration and recommend constructively. For example, we have seen how President Arroyo handles crises, (and it’s) definitely not dictatorial. To them, the President is always wrong or bad, and has done nothing right. Is MBC gearing up to be a political party?” he said.

One of the perceived effects of the planned extension of the declaration of a state of calamity would be price controls of goods, business groups like MBC fears. If carried out, it said the plan would spawn more problems like job losses and supply shortage.

Dimaporo views the threat of an extended price control as something “persuasive.”

“The price control will most likely be monitoring and persuasion, and can be in phases of six months. Weather these days is unpredictable. And we can’t assume that we alone can solve climate change. The MBC should not be a political opposition, hitting the President at every corner and creating situations to hit her,” he said.

Arroyos still need to explain wealth rise

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her two sons in Congress still have a lot of explaining to do regarding the rise in their wealth since they stepped into public office, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday.

In a statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño said the Arroyos should personally explain the wealth stated in their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) when the House, through House Resolution 1358, holds an inquiry into the effectiveness of SALNs in determining public officials' real net worth.

"It has never been adequately explained how in just three years, from 2002 to 2005, Mikey increased his net worth by P71.9 million, or from P5 million to P76.9 million. And then in 2009, this further increased to P99 million. Definitely, he could not have amassed such wealth on his salary as a public official. But his SALN fails to indicate how he did it," said Casiño.

Mikey’s wealth reportedly ballooned from the time he got married to wife Angela in June 2002 and became Pampanga vice governor in 2001-04. He was elected congressman for Pampanga’s 2nd district in 2004 and got re-elected in 2007.

In an interview over GMA's Unang Hirit on Tuesday, Mikey said a large part of his recent wealth came from generous wedding gifts and campaign donors.

“Alam niyo nung kinasal tayo nuon, medyo nagkaroon tayo ng maraming regalo. Tapos pag kampanya, siyempre kahit papaano marami ding tumutulong sa atin. Hindi naman sa nakaipon, pero siyempre nakakagaan ng kaunti and we had some good investments," he explained.

(You know, when I married my wife, we received plenty of gifts. And during campaign periods, we had plenty of donors. It’s not that we hoarded donations but these helped lessen our personal expenses and we were able to make good investments).

The presidential son also said, “In 2002, I was a vice governor. I only became congressman in 2004, under the law assuming you make mistakes in your SAL, you can always amend it the next year as long as you pay the proper taxes," he explained.

“Hindi pa tayo marunong mag-declare nun, so siyempre those shortcomings are amended the next year," the Pampanga representative added.

But Casiño said the First Family's explanations of their wealth were insufficient. "If we simply look at their SALN, the logical conclusion is that these unexplained wealth could have come from illegal sources, or at least were acquired without proper disclosure."

The militant lawmaker said the President has also failed to explain the dramatic increase in her net worth from P67 million in 2001 to P144 million in 2008.

"We need the Arroyos to explain what happened so that Congress can be guided in coming up with legislation on how to improve the system. If it is true, as Mikey says, that everything was legal and transparent but there just might have been some mistakes by his lawyer who filled up the form, then he should not fear the House investigation. We can even help in making sure he does not commit any mistakes the next time around," Casiño added.

Questions arose over the SALNs of Mikey and his brother, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado "Dato" Macapagal Arroyo, following a Vera Files report saying the brought luxury US homes in the US after they got elected as congressmen. The two, however, denied any irregularity in their SALNs and maintained that they declared everything that needed to be declared.

I have never profited from my office - GMA

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo maintained yesterday that she has never and will never use her position for personal profit even as she strongly denied manipulating her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) that showed her net worth doubling in the last eight years.

Her lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said the President vehemently denied “any report or speculation alleging defect or her non-compliance with the law in filing her SALN.”

A report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) said that based on her SALNs, Mrs. Arroyo’s declared net worth more than doubled from P66.8 million in 2001 to P143.54 million in 2008, or bigger than the combined growth in declared wealth of her three immediate predecessors, including former President Joseph Estrada, who was convicted for plunder.

“The President reiterates that she has never used and will never use or take advantage of her position for personal profit as she had declared in her State of the Nation Address and as expected of her by the people,” Macalintal told a news conference at the Palace that was also attended by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruy Rondain.

He said he spoke over the phone with the President who was in Ilocos Norte yesterday and received instruction that he speak for her on the matter. She did not sound upset, he said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo prepared and signed her SALN under oath to the best of her knowledge and in full compliance with the Constitution.

“She honestly believes that she has been very transparent on her assets and liabilities and she has nothing to hide,” Macalintal said.

He said the report insinuating irregularities in the preparation of her SALN “is most unfair and uncalled for.”

He said the report “would accuse the President’s SALN as somewhat irregular just because she reported an amount bigger or higher than her predecessors.”

“We do not know what standard used by the reporter in coming up with her analysis. It is as if that if you reported a big asset, this must be investigated; if small, it’s okay and there should be no more investigation,” Macalintal said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo is inviting anyone to question before the Office of the Ombudsman, where the SALNs are filed, “if he or she has any evidence that the President violated or did not comply with the constitutional requirements in the filing of such disclosure documents.”

He said the President filed her SALNs in good faith and without any intention to deceive anyone.

“Those who alleged otherwise should come up with evidence to prove their uncalled for or self-serving accusations instead of being speculative or judgmental on the matter,” he said.

Macalintal and Rondain said if there were any vagueness in the SALNs, the Office of the Ombudsman should have already pointed out the matter to the First Couple.

Rondain also criticized the article’s use of the term “token compliance” to describe the First Couple’s handling of the requirements of the law.

“Under the law, there’s no such thing as token compliance. Either you comply with the law, with the requirements or you don’t comply. Either you’re alive or dead,” Rondain said.

On the issue of the alleged non-disclosure of the First Couple’s business in the stock market, he said the data is open and available in the records of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

“My feeling is that if the PCIJ has any evidence, it would be better if they bring it out. Because the report is just full of insinuations,” Rondain said.

“It’s a clear indication that democracy is in action in the Philippines and nobody is prevented from making this report but of course the President expects the report to have evidence and not based on speculations,” Macalintal said.

A lot of explaining to do

Senators said the president has a lot of explaining to do regarding the allegations in the PCIJ report.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said every public official should account for the wealth he has acquired as stated in the Constitution and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II said the Office of the Ombudsman should be the one to look into accountability of a public officials but it was unfortunate that the anti-graft body was sitting on many scandals involving the Arroyo government.

“Of course it will raise eyebrows and the people will wait for an explanation on how it happened because she has no other businesses that can be the source of (her additional wealth),” Roxas said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said it would be wise to check the income taxes filed by Mrs. Arroyo.

Enrile said the figures must be justified. “I’m a lawyer, I know how to handle that,” he said.

Roxas said if the President and her financial advisers would say she earned from her shares of stocks, it would be good to check the rates at the time she said she made money out of them.

Sen. Francis Escudero said he had not seen the SALNs of the President but that her salary was considerably low.

Moreover, he said, there is always conflict of interest when a president ventures into a business.

“There is also a worldwide crisis not only in the Philippines, so you wonder why her wealth grew much bigger considering ordinary interest rates, ordinary return on investments on any business that one gets into,” Escudero said.

“I hope she will put that in her SALNs, the explanations of where her wealth came from and that she must be transparent along with the public officials,” Escudero said.

Escudero said it’s doubtful that the wealth had been acquired legally by the President and that her lawyers’ defense should be examined in detail.

Confirmation

The United Opposition (UNO) said it is seriously concerned over reports of “exponential growth” in the wealth of President Arroyo and her family during her term, which exceeded the growth in the wealth of all the three presidents before her, spokesman Ernesto Maceda said yesterday.

“The PCIJ report confirms what people have long known. Arroyo has flouted the rules on accountability and transparency in government and has made a bad example for the million and a half other civil servants running the government,” Maceda said.

“Now we know why she has made token compliance to the requirement of regularly stating a public official’s assets. It’s because she has much to hide. In her eight years in office, Arroyo’s declared net worth more than doubled, from P66.8 million in 2001 to P143.54 million in 2008. The increase of P76.74 million represents a growth rate of 114 percent.” Maceda said quoting the PCIJ report.

Maceda said the PCIJ report showed that the late President Corazon C. Aquino’s declared net worth grew by only 4.8 percent from 1989 to 1992.

He said, by comparison, Fidel V. Ramos’ rose by 34.2 percent from 1992 to 1998, and Joseph ‘Erap’ Ejercito Estrada’s, by 7.2 percent from 1998 to 1999.

If various allowances are thrown in, Mrs. Arroyo’s monthly pay would total P100,000 at most or P1.2 million a year before tax. Yet even then, this represents only 10 percent of the P10.97-million average annual increase in Mrs. Arroyo’s net worth since 2001.

The president’s SALNs, however, offer few clues to explain the big difference, or whether she has other lawful sources of income.

PCIJ said that since 2001, the president has apparently taken the path of “token compliance” instead of going for full disclosure in form and substance of her assets and liabilities, in accordance with the Constitution. As a result, her SALNs in the last eight years have been remarkably full of gaps in data.

Allies come to GMA’s defense

Mrs. Arroyo’s allies at the House of Representatives defended her from insinuations that she had enriched herself during her eight years in office.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III saw nothing wrong in Mrs. Arroyo’s net worth since her wealth came from legitimate sources.

“Baka nga interes lang ng pera iyan sa bangko o kaya sa stocks, shares and other investments,” he said.

“Critics are trying to throw everything because they have no more legitimate issues to raise. It is very clear that politics is behind everything.”

Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo said the report on Mrs. Arroyo’s wealth is incomplete.

“It should have included details about the increase on President Arroyo’s net worth,” he said.

Romualdo said being an economist, Mrs. Arroyo had made some good significant investments that earned dividends.

“It seems that the battle among newspapers to boost its circulations is to report negative stories,” he said.

“How about good news? What happened to the positive gains of this administration? Do these good stories and positive achievements of the administration have been given enough space and prominence?” — with Aurea Calica , Jose Rodel Clapano, Delon Porcalla, Jess Diaz

RP-US ties at forefront of Arroyo-Obama meeting

MANILA - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and US President Barack Obama finally met at the White House Thursday (early morning Friday), with the two leaders praising Philippine-US partnership in a range of issues. Arroyo, the first Southeast Asian leader who was received by Obama in the White House, arrived at around 3 p.m. at the executive mansion, where pro- and anti-Arroyo groups held protests outside the White House gates. The meeting, held at the Oval Office, lasted 45 minutes. She was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy Gaa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, House Speaker Prospero Nograles, presidential adviser on climate change Heherson Alvarez and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Speaking to members of the media, Obama hailed the relationship of the two allies, and mentioned the contributions of Filipinos to America. "We are proud to have 4 million persons of Filipino ancestry contributing to our country each and every day in all walks of life. The fact that we have Filipino veterans who have walked side by side with American soldiers on behalf of freedom, all those things that have strengthened the relations of our two countries," he said. Obama said they primarily discussed the fight against terrorism during their meeting. "I am very pleased that President Arroyo has made such good progress on dealing with counterterrorism issues. She has initiated a peace process in Mindanao that we think has the potential to bring peace and stability to a part of the Philippines that has been wracked by unrest for too long," Obama said. 'Above its weight' He also said they are "grateful" for the Philippines' "strong voice" in issues concerning the region, particularly in Southeast Asia. "We are very grateful of the stong voice that the Philippines has provided in dealing with issues in Asia, ranging from the human rights violations that have too long existed in Burma, to the problems that we're seeing with respect to nuclear proliferation in North Korea," he said. He also said that the Philippines will be the "coordinating country" in the US relationship with the ASEAN." "So we're gonna be having a busy agenda together, working to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, improving the multilateral partnerships in Asia that can create greater security and greater prosperity for all countries," he said. "Although the Philippines is not the largest of countries, using a phrase in boxing, it punches above its weight in the international arena," Thanking US Arroyo meanwhile thanked Obama for inviting her to the White House, and reiterated the Philippines' support to issues America is pursuing in the region. "The US is essential to the economic, diplomatic, and national security of our country. We are very thankful for the US as an important ally in helping to professionalize our military, in making it more effective," Arroyo said. "Just as important, we are thankful to the US for being such a good ally... working on 'soft power', helping us to build bridges, roads, schools, not only in Mindanao but across the nation. And this assistance by the US has gone a long way in helping us achieve what we have been able to achieve in the peace process in Mindanao in the Southern Philippines and also in our fight against terrorism," Arroyo said. She also added that she has informed Obama on the progress of the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). She also said that the Philippines will stand behind the US in two crucial issues in the region: Burma and North Korea. She also thanked the US's help in facing climate change, and the granting of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans. Obama also praised Arroyo on her "outstanding" work. "President Arroyo has done outstanding work on a range of issues. She mentioned the areas where the United States and the Philippines are of one accord, and as evidenced here today, she's somebody who knows the issues, she has experience leading the Philippines through some very difficult times," Obama said. "She has expressed great friendship towards the United States, and aside from her great personal charm we are very appreciative of the concrete ways that her administration has pursued strengthening ties with the United States, so I'm very grateful for that," he added.

4th visit to White House This is Mrs. Arroyo's 4th visit to the White House since she became President. Her first visit was back in November 2001, following the terror attacks in the United States, and was received by then US President George W. Bush. She again visited the Bush White House in May 2003 in a state visit, and also in 2008, upon Bush's invitation. Prior to the meeting, Mrs. Arroyo met with several US lawmakers and government officials at the Willard Hotel. Among them, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, were Admiral Dennis Blair, director for National Intelligence; US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; and US Senator Sheila Jackson Lee. She also met with the leaders of the RP-US Friendship Caucus. Arroyo and her delegation arrived in Washington for the four-day working visit in the US last Wednesday (Thursday morning Manila time). The President and her party deplaned at the Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Aside from Washington, the President will also go to New York, Chicago, and Guam. She is also set for an interview with business news network CNBC. With reports from Rodney Jaleco and Ging Reyes, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, in Washington, and Reuters