Let Them FURIES Be FURIES

In Greek Mythology, we learned about the so-called “The Three Furies”.  They were the Greek Goddesses of Justice who were called upon to prosecute crimes such as disrespect, injustice, perjury, arrogance and murder.

In the Philippines, many of our public officials unjustly and arrogantly appropriated for themselves public funds at the expense of the people that they were meant to serve.  Under the law, these disrespectful acts are called plunder, graft and corruption.

Dutifully and fearlessly prosecuting these crimes are three brilliant women lawyers aptly described by PNoy’s Press Secretary Edwin Lacierda as the country’s “Three Furies”. They are Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Commission on Audit (COA) Chair Grace Polido Tan.

GPS

In this digital age, in order to reach our destination, we get directions from our GPS > Global Positioning System.

GPS > Guiding Path is Straight

When PNoy got elected as our President, he was committed to lead us to our chosen destiny.  Defined as his GPS is > Guiding Path is Straight, which to most Filipinos is Matuwid Na Daan.  The direction is very simple – go straight and you get there.  Follow a crooked path and you would be considered a crook! So a straight shooter you must be - think straight, get the facts straight, and follow the straight arrow.

GPS > Grand Prosecution of the Sleazy.

The Furies in following the path, also use a GPS > Grand Prosecution of the Sleazy.  They are as committed in prosecuting the plunderers and the corrupt.  They are fighting injustice with justice, arrogance with humility, disrespect with respect for the rule of law and due process, perjury with truth and evidentiary facts!

GPS > Gathering of Proofs for Support. 

The legal process is also straightforward – a GPS > Gathering of Proofs for Support.  In order to efficiently and effectively prosecute the case, the Three Furies made sure of gathering sufficient evidence to prove their allegations.  In the first batch of charges that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales is filing before the Sandiganbayan, the supporting set of evidences include the “sworn statements of Benhur Luy and co-whistleblowers Marina Sula and Merlina Suñas who detailed the sequence of events; the 2007 – 2009 Commission on Audit (COA) Report; the documenting results of the special audit undertaken on PDAF disbursements and the reports on the field verification which secured sworn statements of local government officials and the purported beneficiaries of the supposed projects which turned out to be inexistent; and pieces of evidence that either remained uncontroverted by mere denials or dovetailed with the affidavits of some respondents.” 

The affidavits of the latest whistleblowers like Ruby Tuazon, Dennis Cunanan, and even Janet Napoles, especially the narration of facts that corroborate the evidence that the Ombudsman already has, will most likely be added.

The cooperation between and among DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima, COA Chair Grace Polido Tan, and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales is indeed a key to a successful investigation, gathering of evidence and prosecution.

The DOJ and its investigating arm, the NBI – National Bureau of Investigation, had filed charges before the Ombudsman a second batch of accused public and private individuals. A third batch is forthcoming.

Upon verification, authentication, validation, and consolidation of all the supporting set of evidences, the Ombudsman will most likely file more plunder and corruption charges before the Sandiganbayan.

In the digital files that Benhur Luy stored, he entered in the course of business, records that are admissible as evidence.  Per instructions from his boss - Janet Napoles, he also had entries narrating facts and events occurring at or close to the time they were happening.

Among these records are: bank documents, bank fund transfers, cash and check disbursements, money transfers, bank deposits, bank placements, and of course, financial transactions.  The bank account numbers of JLN Corp, and all the fake NGOs/foundations are also entered and stored. They are all traceable.

Special allocation release orders (SARO) numbers totaling 500 plus for more than 100 lawmakers, letters of endorsements, and many more documents form part of the business records that could support the filing of charges.

Details narrated include sources of the funds namely: PDAF, Malampaya, other Public Funds, Calamity Funds, Road Projects, Budget Insertions and other allocations for hard projects.

Uses of funds include: Kickbacks, rebates or commissions, purchase of properties, funding the lifestyle of Napoles’ daughter abroad.  Payments were made through bank transfers, checks, and cash either picked up or delivered in some designated places.

The title of the cases will most likely be “People of the Philippines vs. Enrile, Estrada, Revilla, et al.”  A usual move used by one with a weak defense is to confuse the enemy.  Hence, confuse the people with a variety of lists that include both guilty and innocent.

The only list that will count is the list of people charged by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan. The first list already came out.  If we let the Furies be Furies, more of these corrupt will be included in the list.

GPS > Gigantic Prison Site 

A public statement made by Ombudsman Morales said, “the ultimate goal is to put all the corrupt in jail.”  Hence, another direction comes into play, GPS > Gigantic Prison Site.  I understand that the government is now building a prison site big enough to house all these public officials who betrayed the public trust.

GPS > Government of, by, and for the People Society.

In my younger days, I was one of those who believed in a “just and humane society – based on human dignity, built on justice, and dedicated to progress, where every man may develop and fulfill himself according to his ability and in the service of his fellowmen.” (CSM Credo).  Naturally embedded was also a GPS > Government of, by, and for the People Society.