First, it’s an audit of how Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile disburses Senate funds. Now, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano wants a
parallel audit of Senate funds as well.
So here’s one simple test if he’s truly for transparency
or is just on another publicity stunt.
Let’s ask Cayetano to open the FINANCIAL RECORDS
of his office, NOW, for auditors from the private sector. Even though it’s Enrile,
and not him who’s in the proverbial ‘eye of the storm.’
Or even if nobody is calling for an audit of his
office’s books in particular.
Cayetano receives his share of Senate funds.
The funds come from our taxes. Therefore, we have the right to know if he has
been spending the money WISELY and LEGALLY.
We should find out, and see proof, if Cayetano
has been spending his Senate allocations for the greater good and not just for himself.
We have the right to know if Cayetano has
accomplished anything like infrastructure projects with his funds. Or if he has
been funding any pro-poor program or any other similar endeavor.
Unless Cayetano can show a law which exempts senators
from an audit at any given time, he is as morally accountable to the people as
any other senator.
If Cayetano refuses to kick off his purported
quest for transparency with Senate monies, then everything he says is just for media
mileage.
I’m sure we all remember that when Cayetano ran
for senator, his media gimmick was a supposed expose of a multi-million account
owned by former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo in a bank in Germany.
He REPEATEDLY alleged this in numerous press
releases and TV interviews. But he NEVER PRODUCED even a single piece of physical
evidence.
When Mr. Arroyo suggested that they go together
to the bank for an on-the-spot verification complete with media coverage,
Cayetano REFUSED TO GO and gave all sorts of reasons.
The bank eventually issued a statement
DENYING ALL of Cayetano’s allegations. Now, it’s obviously the same strategy all
over again.
Come to think of it, what has Cayetano done
anyway as a senator? 30
No comments:
Post a Comment