Graft raps vs GMA may reach courts by November

TOKYO – The first of the several corruption charges being readied against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to reach the courts in November, President Aquino said yesterday.

“We will file cases one after the other and we will only start probably by November,” Aquino told reporters over coffee Tuesday night.

“But there are so many processes involved,” he said.

Aquino said private groups and individuals may be preparing their own graft cases against Arroyo but they may be consolidated with those being readied by his administration.

“Of course, the Ombudsman will look at it, will present cases that are reasonable, (that) have a good chance of prospering. But, at the same time, if the charges are not very clear, absolve them,” he said.

Asked how soon the public can expect to see Arroyo in jail, Aquino said he cannot speak for the courts but can only hope the cases are swiftly resolved.

“You’re asking me to give a deadline to a co-equal branch of government, how would I do that? How about the cooperative Supreme Court when everything will end up there?”

On Sunday, the first day of his official visit, Aquino told the Filipino community that he wanted corrupt officials during the previous administration convicted by next year.

The President met with Japanese Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace before returning to Manila yesterday.

“I’ll be foolish to start saying schedules and methodologies and our pieces of evidence already at hand. I cannot divulge my strategy and say this is what I will do. I will just make things difficult for myself,” he said.

Aquino said the previous administration was apparently trying to drum up support for its “let bygones be bygones” tactic.

“I said excuse me. Look, look at nine and a half years, those were (the years) lost. But (before) I say that, I think I (have to) prove it first. Can I forgive the 10 years that were lost?”

Aquino said he could not turn his back on this fight because the people are eager to see him do something about rampant corruption.

“You cannot bring that back. What about those from the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)? That’s almost half a generation, 10 years of lost opportunities. What about the farmers who lost fertilizer? How about the elections that, based on a lot of witnesses coming out now, did not really take place?” he asked.

“On my part, I can set it aside that I got zero there (referring to ARMM, last 2007 senatorial elections), that’s okay with me,” Aquino said.

“When I got into this, that’s part of it, what you call commitment. I can say, boss, my head really hurts already. But if I do that, we go back to the (old culture) – you dignify the fact that one should steal big time so you won’t go to jail,” he said.

Aquino cited the case of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia who offered to return P130 million of the P300 million he allegedly stole, in a plea bargain deal with state prosecutors.

“(The money) is not his own, not a single peso from that amount is his. So do we still owe him a debt of gratitude for returning P130 million?” Aquino said.

Aquino also said he was not keen on accepting offers from corrupt officials to serve as whistleblowers.

He said one should not expect a “reward” just because what he or she had stolen was not big enough.

“That is not right. I am Catholic…when you confess your sins, it’s not enough that you told the priest. There is penance because there is injury to the community,” Aquino said.

Aquino said it would be more practical to pin down the one perceived to be most corrupt than go after every official suspected of involvement in anomalies.

“We are talking of four years, nine months for me. So the most important is the head, the one who committed the worst misdeed, that one should be punished clearly so the others will be afraid to follow,” he said.