From ABS-CBN online:
To encourage more people to testify versus corrupt practices, several key Senate resource persons in corruption inquiries have banded together to start a support group for whistleblowers like them.
Current and former Senate witnesses have put up the Whistleblowers’ Association (WBA), which they said will give emotional, legal, and financial support for whistleblowers like them, ABS-CBN News correspondent Timi Nubla reported.
Included in the group are volunteer witness Dante Madriaga in the controversial national broadband network deal probe, “jueteng payola” probe witness Sandra Cam, and “Hello, Garci” wiretapping witness Vidal Doble.
“Naging witness na hindi nabayaran, hindi bumaliktad, to come forward and join us,” said Cam, who is a member of the group’s secretariat.
Other notable members of the group include Noel Baviera, who testified on the alleged sale of unlicensed securities by Standard Chartered Bank in 2005; Jose Barredo, who testified in the “fertilizer fund scam”; and Wilfredo “Boy” Mayor, who testified on the alleged involvement of members of the Arroyo family in “jueteng”.
The witnesses said that even if they have helped uncover anomalies in government, they have received little help and support.
Now, instead of asking other people and outside groups for help, they established the group to help each other out in times of need.
Foundation
Instead of a “sanctuary fund” like what ZTE-NBN deal witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada has at the moment, the other whistleblowers said they wanted to establish their own foundation so that they won’t beg for donations.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson already filed Senate Bill 2040, a bill that would give protection to whistleblowers among government officials and employees, and the group would like to expand the bill to cover private individuals.
“There’s already a bill which was prepared by Senator Lacson… we wanted to expand this to include a whistleblowers’ protection act that includes the private entities,” said Baviera, who is the WBA’s lead convenor.
Lacson’s bill, entitled “An Act Provinding for Protection, Security and Benefits of Whistleblowers and for Other Purposes,” would set rewards – based on their salary grade – for government employees who would uncover anomalies, ranging from P50,000 to P5 million.
The bill also provides for punishment for whoever would prevent them from testifying, from six months to six years in prison.
The group said they are also looking for a representative who would sponsor a counterpart bill in the House of Representatives.
Lozada and businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, another ZTE-NBN whistleblower, will soon join their group, they said.
Cam also urged other whistleblowers, like former socioeconomic planning chief Romulo Neri, to join them and to “be a man and stop hiding behind PGMA’s skirt.”
Through the newly-established support group, the witnesses are hoping that more people would come out to testify against government anomalies and corruption, and that less witnesses would reverse their testimonies.
Photo caption:
Jueteng whistleblowers Sandra Cam and Boy Mayor
Good thinking!
Meanwhile, Drilon said that Drilon SCJ Corona should inhibit himself from the Neri case because of “questionable impartiality.” Corona’s wife ,Cristina, was one of the nine signatories in a newspaper advertisement in The Philippine Star that expressed “strong support” for President Arroyo amid the ZTE-national broadband scandal. The ad was saw print on February 28.
Pwedeng koronahan ng tinik na bakal si Corona!
I will pray that the group will also invite the likes of sunshine Joe, Ed Manalac, Vince Perez, Raphael Lotilla, Torch Dela Torre, Ruben Reyes, Leo San Miguel, and then later on, Ben “burjer” Abalos.
Lagot kang alimatik ka!
if their only concern is for the truth to come out, why go out of their way to form a group collecting money? Akala ko ba hindi sila bayaran? Why would the government care to support them? Wala ba silang trabaho? Oo nga naman, kailangan silang bayaran for their outstanding performances in front of the greedy media…hindi malabo kung bakit mga tanga lang ang naloloko nang mga ito.
these people including media feasted on the fact that the poor are inclined to act based on emotions….basta rally agad, wala nang isip isip. Pinaglalaruan nila ang emosyon ng mga pinoy just to advance their own personal agenda of making money. Nakakasuka na..another example of false/fabricated reporting was the recent Inquirer headline stating Ex-PNOC president as the next senate circus witness. Ang mga journalistang ito ang kailangan ipa investigate. So bias it stinks to the lowest of hell. Kailan kaya kayo matatauhan dito?
Excellent initiative! As we say, in unity there’s strength!
Amazingly, the former PNOC Head Manalac now denies he is the next witness. He further denies to have knowledge about the ZTE deal. What’s going on? Is he or he not the new witness?
I’m for the opposition; but if they keep on with this fishing expedition by calling on unwilling witnesses, I might change my position. This is ridiculous!
bitchevil, buti naman at unti unti ka na rin natatauhan sa mga kasinungalingan ng mga grupo ng media at oposisyon, lalabas din ang mga baho nila at personal nilang motibo….babalik sa kanila lahat ng mga itinapon nilang kasinungalingan. Hindi ang pag alis ni GMA sa pwesto ang dapat ninyong abangan, kung hindi ang pag bukas ng isip ng sambayanan sa tunay na sanhi ng kaguluhan ng bayan. At baka sa panahong iyon, eh wala nang Pilipino ang rerespeto pa sa mga ganid na journalistang ito.
MR. DUREN,quite good opening remarks,for an stationary thinking, some times people w/ that kind doesn’t move w/o external force to move due not enough energy, been garnered.EMOTION is an internal force,would be an explosive force, due feeling are been disrupted for a certain reason,just like you showed outburst feeling towards to some sectors,been touched by the sound of the whistle created by the blower,and media’s transmission of sound to the vast majorities of your fellow PINOY,If you knew somebody are “BAG” taker,wether pro or anti,APPLY THE “RULE OF LAW” w/ some hard facts and evidences.Then the whole blogger of this site,wouldn’t be casting a big boulder of criticism.
Wow! Mukhang may bagong bata si Evil Bitch! Iba ng style, kunyari nasa gitna ang dating pero panay naman ang tira sa oposisyon kaya huli din!
Wala na kayong magagawa, sa dami ng kasalanan ng amo niyong si Evil Bitch, its all catching up on her!
I decided to take side..its a decision we have to make in time either by fate or by some other force. As for me the prime source is this blog, I realized being abstain is not an option anymore, we have to take sides just to bang the heads of the opposition and let them know that the neutrals are not on their side of the fence. Kaming mga hindi kumikilos noon, we will strive to let the people change their perception of heroes and heroe-wannabees. Hanggang may mga taong dumedepensa sa gobyerno at rule of law, hindi nyo mapapatumba ang bayan ko. At gusto ko ring ipahayag sa inyong lahat na hindi lang kayo ang boses ng bayan. Bring it on!
Duren, even if I want to agree with your position, I cannot because I firmly believe that the number one problem at present is this evil being in the Palace. She is the root of all evils. On one hand, I would like to think that she’s also a victim of evil or evil people surrounding him. Check out all the past presidents from Marcos to Arroyo. As presidents, they meant well but succumbed to the whims of family members and friends. Let’s take Marcos for example…he didn’t actually enrich himself. The ones who mostly benefited from his regime are still very much active in business and politics today. As for the opposition, except for a few good ones like Nene Pimentel, some of the opposition have doubtful characters. Take this Jamby Madrigal…she’s described as “matapobre” and unfriendly to the media. It’s only now that she’s making noise because of her ambition to run as Vice President. Most likely, it would be Lacson-Madrigal. Kiko Pangilinan is another example. Where was he before? Why only the noise now? Because he too wants to run as Vice President. Maybe Villar-Pangilinan or Roxas-Pangilinan. Biazon is a goner. He’s old. He’s only grooming his son to be the senator to replace him. Loren Legarda, mark my word…she would jump to the administration side when the election approaches.
Imagine a rotten regime without the whistleblowers! Even with them around, kaliwat kanan pa rin ang nakawan! These whistleblowers are very important to our check and balances! Kung hindi sila nagiingay, the Senate would not have uncovered all these anomalies.
I salute you all whistleblowers for sacrificing your families’ welfare and your carreers! Because you lost your capability to make a decent living, you certainly deserve to have all these fund raising activities to help you financially. MORE POWER TO ALL OF YOU!
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Current EQ Polls:
1)Do you believe Gloria’s promise to step down in 2010?
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Parasabayan,
Tanggapin na lang natin ang katotohanan na sa paligsahan ng mga nasa dilim at liwanag at may nagtatanggol ng bawat panig. Katulad noong panahon ng Hapon, may Gerilya at may Makapili. Sa panahon ngayon na napakaraming isyu ng katiwalian sa gobierno ay dumadagundong, normal lang na may mga magtatanggol sa Malacanang. San nga lang mga kababayan, manaig sa atin lahat ang tunay na anyo ng katotohanan dahil dito nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng bayan.
I suggest the tri-media press either pros and cons help put up a fund for the whistle blowers. They are always moneymaking scoops.
Excellent idea, Valdemar.
Nagtataka si Sandra Cam. Bakit sila walang
“sanctuary fund”. Hindi naman kasi kayo kasing
galing umarte ni IKE LOZADA este Jun Lozada pala.
Why should the public take responsibility for the whistleblower as a matter of fact. There should be a law to guaranty protection and their upkeep while they stand witness against anomalies in the government. Over where I am based the government has even set aside welfare funds to distribute to the court and the bar association taking the initiative to protect and defend these witnesses. No one, however, gets paid for services rendered except the usual per diem and transportation fees.
It is a good way of training ordinary citizens to be patriotic and do their duties and responsibilities in exchange for the rights and privileges guaranteed by the law they help to protect from being circumvented and gravely misinterpreted.