Despite Reyes's death : Quisumbing wants probe on AFP anomalies to go on

CEBU, Philippines -    Sixth District Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing wants that the congressional investigations on the alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue even with the demise of former Chief of Staff and Defense secretary Angelo Reyes.

Quisumbing, vice chairman of the House defense committee, said that the legislators are just performing their Constitutional mandate of conducting an investigation in aid of legislation to ferret out the truth so that new laws can be introduced to correct it.

 “The style and manner of asking questions of each and every Congressman is only incidental to the entire purpose of arriving at the truth and in truly providing a workable solution for the best interest of our people,” Quisumbing said.

He added that there is no need for them to censor any member of the House as to their individual style of interrogation as a person who has a clear conscience will never falter even in the face of serious accusations.

After having personally filed a resolution calling for the review and investigation of the AFP budget and Financial system a week before Reyes committed suicide, Quisumbing said that Congress should not allow itself to be dissuaded by our age-old tradition on “pakikisama.”

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council has urged Congress to strengthen the Witness Protection Program and to end the culture of fear and harassment.

A resolution sponsored by Councilor Edgardo Labella supporting former state auditor Heidi Mendoza was also approved by the City Council en masse.

 “The Cebu City Council commend and support former COA Auditor, who after a difficult struggle, provided an occasion for government transparency and change, re-evaluation and corrective action, having divulged during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the House Committee on Justice hearings, on the alleged corruption at the AFP and COA,” the resolution reads.

Mendoza testified before the congressional investigations into the alleged AFP corruption. - (THE FREEMAN)