Ex-COA Auditor Who Documented Corruption in Philippine Military Lauded

Ex-COA Auditor Who Documented Corruption in Philippine Military Lauded

“We applaud Ms. Heidi Mendoza’s courage and determination in daring to expose and condemn anomalous transactions within the military,” said Courage president Ferdinand Gaite.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — A government employee upholding the dignity of all other government employees.
The Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) yesterday heaped praises on and expressed full support for former Commission on Audit (COA) employee Heidi Mendoza as she stands witness in the controversial plea-bargain agreement involving former military comptroller Carlos Garcia. She is the lone prosecution witness in the case.

“We applaud Ms. Mendoza’s courage and determination in daring to expose and condemn anomalous transactions within the military,” Courage president Ferdinand Gaite said.

In doing so, he said, Mendoza “upheld the dignity of all our fellow rank-and-file employees who are committed to their profession as public servants, despite numerous attempts to corrupt or threaten them.”

As COA auditor, Heidi Mendoza documented massive corruption in the armed forces. (Photo from ellentordesillas.com)

Gaite said Courage agrees with her when she said in an earlier TV interview “that not all government employees are thieves, not all Filipinos are afraid to speak out against corruption.”

Mendoza testified in yesterday’s hearing of the congressional Committee on Justice that was looking into the plea-bargain agreement. Mendoza went full details regarding Garcia’s corruption and how he siphoned millions from the coffers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The committee resumed its inquiry into the plea-bargain agreement between state prosecutors and Garcia, on the premise that the agreement was irregular as it will reduce the offense of the former comptroller from plunder to mere direct bribery. Plunder is a capital offense punishable with a life sentence in the Philippines (originally, the punishment is death but if not for the abolition of the death penalty). Direct bribery only carries a penalty of imprisonment from six to 12 years..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/02/02/ex-coa-auditor-who-documented-corruption-in-philippine-military-lauded/