Quezon City CoA-llusion?

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
7/15/2011



Quezon City, a premier metropolis, is also a city of mysteries. When the previous city administration ended its reign, it boasted of a P6.5-billion budget surplus. Its former mayor, a staunch pillar of the previous regime — now vilified to the hilt — has moved on anew to become Speaker of the House under the supposedly rival political faction of BSA III.

Similarly, the previous mayor’s city administrator also moved to higher places, i.e., the Office of the Executive Secretary in Malacañang. But just a few months after a new administration was voted in, the city council is already proposing to raise new taxes, leaving Quezon City residents scratching their heads, asking, “What happened to the reported budget surplus and savings of P6.5 billion?” Unfortunately, the new city mayor can only reply with another query: “What budget surplus and savings? We are in deficit!”

The former mayor, Sonny Belmonte, has not said a word on the questions raised; neither has his city administrator. Quezon City residents went to city hall to attend one of the sessions of the city council, officially raising questions on the whereabouts of the budget surplus propagandists of Belmonte, as well as to protest the proposed 1-percent real estate tax increase for so-called “housing projects.”

Such increases will naturally raise new needless billions from the city’s citizens, who know full well that these city councilors each enjoy an annual P43-million pork barrel, which will never be properly accounted for. Yet, despite the citizens’ opposition, these city councilors are pursuing it with shameless determination, apparently confident that nothing but nothing can stop them — not even the citizens’ threat to raise such questions of their “pork barrel” and the “lost surpluses” in the proper forum.

Citizens are therefore asking what exactly is happening in Quezon City that it can be so smug to the inquiries and how so huge an anomaly as the missing P6.5-billion surplus can be swept under the rug. To understand this, one has to look at the “new” city hall. There may be a new mayor but he is all but powerless against the old regime, which continues its tight grip over the city.

The current vice mayor is Belmonte’s daughter. The city administrator today used to be city treasurer under him as well while the old cabal around him then is still in control. Corruption there is neatly worked out, with everyone in the loop allegedly approving papers; and with councilors, congressmen, and city officials concerned allegedly getting their share of whatever allotted portions there are. But how do these graft activities get around the rules designed to check corruption? We’ll have to look at the Commission on Audit (CoA) auditors.

For sordid graft activities in an institution to thrive, it is inevitable that the CoA officials assigned are also in collusion. Examining who the auditors are in the city today sheds light on what’s going on in the city administration. Plus, to understand Quezon City today requires a thorough review of the historic scandals in Philippine government, such as the Gen. Carlos Garcia Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) logistics plunder case that shocked the nation, which led to the shameful “suicide” of Gen. Angelo Reyes.

Details of plunder operations exposed by former AFP budget officer and now whistle-blower Maj. George Rabusa by way of his plunder case against three CoA auditors assigned previously to the AFP, among them Manuel Warren, Arturo Besana and Crisanto Gabriel, show that the three allegedly received bribes amounting to P69 million, P26.4 million and P58 million, respectively. And while the rest have been “frozen,” one of them has even been “promoted.”

State auditor Warren, who was alleged to have received the biggest amount, was reactivated and transferred to Quezon City Hall. This contradicts an earlier position of the CoA chief, Grace Pulido-Tan, who correctly preferred to “freeze” the accused state auditors. A change of heart reportedly occurred only after she was called into a meeting in Malacañang.

What happened in the supposed meeting, no one really knows, but one of the “most guilty” auditors charged in that AFP plunder case was in fact reactivated, and to Quezon City Hall at that. Tan’s confirmation as CoA chief was reportedly opposed, but apparently Tan’s stay has been prolonged. Has there been a quid pro quo?

Quezon City Hall is a nest of graft and corruption. If its resident CoA auditor will have a questionable reputation, then QC’s citizens can be assured that the rats will play. Is the CoA in collusion or is it going to help save the city and its citizens from the continuing rapacity of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats?

Let’s see if Grace Pulido-Tan can overcome fears of the old Quezon City mafia and help clean up the country’s premier metropolis by ending the “CoA-llusion” there.

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