Nepotism is the issue in sweepstakes controversy - Roses And Thorns byAlejandro R. Roces

First, we wish to commend Sister Christine Tan for informing the public that in the past year P430,279,581 of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds had all been diverted to the Office of the President, Office of the First Lady and Office of the President of the League of Municipalities, an office headed by San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, President Estrada's eldest son by First Lady Dr. Loi Ejercito. This left the Sweepstakes office with P65,364,000 to spend for its former beneficiaries composed mostly of hospitals and orphanages. It is very clear that more than 80 percent of the Sweepstakes fund have been going to offices headed by three members of the Presidential family. That is an obvious case of nepotism.

Dr. Loi Ejercito Estrada is upset because she says that some people have gotten the impression that she had been misusing charity funds. "I was hurt especially about the allegations that our family subdivided its funds," Dr. Estrada was quoted as saying. President Estrada, on the other hand, has called for an audit of the funds. Over the radio, he said that the audit will be conducted by the Commission on Audit and the private auditing firm SGV. The audit, the President added, "will answer the baseless accusation that First Lady Luisa Ejercito and San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada obtained large chunks of PCSO funds to the detriment of regular donees such as orphanages and hospitals."

The audit should be done but the real issue is -- whether it is true that in the past 12 months four-fifths of the Sweepstakes funds went to charitable projects headed by three top members of the First Family. No one has claimed that it went to them personally. An audit, of course, is necessary. But even if an audit proves that the money was used properly, the fact remains that there is nepotism in the allocation of Sweepstakes fund to charitable organizations.

The information that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office can provide is -- who were the usual charitable beneficiaries that did not receive any funds this year because four-fifths of the budget went to three charitable organizations headed by members of the Presidential family. Does the Sweepstakes Board decide what to do with their funds or is it totally dictated by Malacañang? Will this nepotistic policy continue? Nepotism is a form of despotism.