Escudero bats for politics-free poll fraud probe

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines - A politics-free probe will resolve the unsettled issues hounding the 2004 elections and affirming its supposed beneficiary, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as de facto President and the late Fernando Poe Jr. as the de jure President will correct the country's history in due time.

Senator Franciz "Chiz" Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, pointed this out as he explained that Arroyo's Presidential stint from 2004-2010 was valid and legal, thus, binding in consonance with "the law on de facto officers."

It would, however, be just symbolic to recognize Arroyo as de facto President and FPJ as de jure President, he added.

"Symbolic na lamang ito at, again, layunin ko ay maiwasto lamang ang kasaysayan kasi 50 years from now itong nangyari in 2004 kung hindi mai-establish and hindi ma-officially bibigyan ng pagkilala kung ano ba talaga yong nangyari ay magiging tsismis na lamang at usapang kanto na lamang, na pag-usapan na lamang pag nag-iinoman yan. Mas layunin ko na maiwasto kung talagang dapat at pwedeng iwasto pa," Escudero said.

Escudero issued the statement on Monday when the Bohol media sought his comment as the issue became the top issue this week in the provice, considering the highlights in the national media and the shift of the provincial administration party to the Liberal Party of President Benigno Aquino III, while two congressmen chose to stick with Arroyo.

Escudero explained that he filed Senate Resolution 534 seeking the creation of a fact-finding commission that will look into the 2004 electoral fraud with the sole intention to know the truth while the witnesses and the documents serving as pieces of evidence are still available, and not necessarily to put anyone to jail or charge anyone in court which is the job of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

This is also to ensure that the probe on the alleged 2004 poll fraud will not be tainted with politics, Escudero said.

"Ang layunin namin dito ay alamin lamang kung ano talaga yong totoo habang buhay pa yong mga testigo. Habang nando'n pa yong mga dokumento kasi bihira tayong mabigyan ng pagkakataon na ma-correct ang kasaysayan o pagkakamali sa kasaysayan na nangyari mismo sa buhay natin. Ayaw ko na sana na Senado pa, full-time, ang gumawa nito, dahil marami kaming kailangang gawing panukalang batas," according to Escudero.

Collection Efficiency vs. Additional Taxes

Senator Escudero, expressed objection to the proposed imposition of any kind of tax at this point in time to avoid giving undue disadvantage to the poor consumers and prefers that the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs be asked to improve tax collection efficiency first before delving on additional taxes.

"Kung magdadagdag tayo ng buwis, yong mga dating mababait at masunuring nagbabayad ng buwis sila na naman ang babalikat nong dagdag na buwis. Yong mga dating hindi nagbabayad hindi pa rin magbabayad yan," Escudero said.

The senator cited the SONA wherein President Aquino lamented that the record on tax remittance shows that the average income of professionals are even below the minimum wage which only hinted poor tax collection.

He also issued the statement in reaction to the bills that Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District) filed proposing to increase sin taxes on cigarettes and liquor to raise funds for the PhilHealth universal coverage of indigents, barangay officials and workers and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) access to public elementary and high schools, construction of new school buildings and hiring of teachers.

Escudero suggested that when BIR already performs up to par but the collection still could hardly be sufficient for the country's needs, just then the officials should start eyeing additional taxes.

"The Bureau of Customs is always below the target. The BIR is always below the target. The collection efficiency of BIR at present is only 13 percent, while the standard mean collection efficiency of Southeast Asian countries is at 21-25 percent. We barely reach half of that. Can we first improve that? And when we are already at par with the neighboring countries in terms of tax collection efficiency and the revenue is still not enough, just then is the right time to start talking about additional taxes," Escudero pointed out. - THE FREEMAN