Bayan(i)

Triggered by the contentious plea bargain agreement made between ex-Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Carlos Garcia and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and the series of investigations which ensued after — involving former high-ranking officers in the AFP and their alleged send-off monies and kickbacks — yet another brave soul emerges to reveal new truths about the trail of corruption in the military.
Before the House justice committee, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza testified against Garcia in the plunder hearings in the Sandiganbayan, stating that some P270 million in AFP funds representing reimbursements from the United Nations are missing.
In 2004, Mendoza headed the team which conducted a financial audit of the AFP. According to the ex-state auditor, she was informed that a military officer personally picked up a $5-million check from the UN Headquarters in New York City in February 2001. She said that the check was released by the UN as “reimbursement for equipment” used by Filipino troops sent abroad for UN peacekeeping missions, yet it “never entered the books of accounts of the AFP.”
While Mendoza and her team were doing a “laborious” examination of AFP documents, they chanced upon another UN reimbursement check amounting to $200 million, signed by Garcia. Of the $200 million, only $150 million was deposited in the trust account of the AFP — the remaining $50 million could not be traced, Mendoza narrated.
A day before the hearing, Mendoza went to the office of the Department of Justice (DOJ), seeking protection because of possible security threats her revelations might bring to her and to her family.
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima  said that the DOJ has temporarily placed her under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) which provided her with a preemptive security arrangement and the possibility for financial assistance.
Despite imminent threats and constraint from her superiors, including former Commission on Audit chairman Guillermo Carague and the Office of the Executive Secretary in Malacañang, Mendoza decided to finish the job “for the benefit of the ordinary soldiers and our people.”
Beyond protection and financial assistance, Mendoza has been inundated with support and praise by kababayans — netizens, legislators, the clergy, Justice Secretary De Lima and President Aquino himself. According to presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Mendoza has Malacañang’s full support as far as security requirements are concerned and that President Aquino believes that she is a credible witness.
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño said that Mendoza “has raised us a notch higher as Filipinos” and that “as far as security is concerned, it is the Filipino people who will protect her in the circumstance that she finds herself in.”
Catholic bishops, through a manifesto of support, praised Mendoza’s courage “to unmask the arrogance” of abusive officials. With their support came a reminder: “We call on the children to ask their parents about their sources of income… we remind lawyers, law enforcers and law schools to remember their public oath of honor and duty to uphold democracy.This is an opportunity for us to get our act together inspired by courageous men and women who stand up for the truth for the good of our nation.”
Most already regard Mendoza as a hero for her courageous act. Some even likened her guts to that of the late human rights lawyer, Haydee Yorac. It’s uncanny to have two courageous women with a similar name.
Of course, the testimonies made by former AFP budget officer Lt.Col. George Rabusa and Col. Antonio Ramon Lim were also given due attention, despite their involvement in the military fund scam. It is never too late to rid one’s self of guilt, even if it carries consequences.
Sadly, in a society where abuse of power is the norm, brutal honesty demands a high price: living in incessant fear and utter helplessness. Mendoza is only human to break down and has begged off from attending future senate hearings.
But courage should not be measured by its longevity. The depth and weight of the testimony, its capability to uncover misdeeds and to bring justice to the forefront are what matter most. From these bits and pieces of revelation, hope in solving the proverbial puzzle arises.
Bayanis are hard to come by these days, but think about it — if you take out the “i” in “bayani” and do selfless acts for the common good, an entire “bayan” will follow suit.
As ordinary citizens who are hungry for clean and transparent governance, support and encouragement to people like Mendoza, Rabusa and Lim should be our hefty piece in the big puzzle.
After all, living with apathy is just as bad as living in fear.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend Feb 5-8, 2011 Sec A pg. 12)