Category: Truth Commission

The Truth Commission has in its initial list 23 cases that they will investigate including the “Hello Garci” scandal that exposed the direct role of Gloria Arroyo and the military in tampering with the results of the 2004 elections in her favor.

The “Hello Garci” scandal put in doubt the legitimacy of the Arroyo presidency.

At least two major corruption scandals – the P728 million fertilizer scam and the$329 million NBN-ZTE deal – were linked to the 2004 elections anomaly.

The Truth Commission was created by President Aquino by Executive Order No. 1 to “primarily seek and find the truth on, and toward this end, investigate reports of graft and corruption of such scale and magnitude that shock and offend the moral and ethical sensibilities of the people.”

Here’s ABS-CBN’s report:

Highlights:
• Truth Commission will just investigate, not prosecute
• Powers limited to recommendation for prosecution
• It will have a life-span of two and half years. Up to Dec. 2012
• Scope of work: reports of graft and corruption during the previous administration . Meaning the administration of Gloria Arroyo.
• The Commission will decide which cases to investigate

House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman of the Arroyo-led Lakas-Kampi-CMD party said in a statement on Saturday that their bloc is “seriously considering” challenging the constitutionality of Executive Order No. 1 before the courts.

Lagman said that the creation of the commission may have been unconstitutional, since only Congress can create new offices and commissions based on the 1987 Constitution.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/197479/house-minority-questions-aquinos-eo-on-truth-commission

MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 1

CREATING THE PHILIPPINE TRUTH COMMISSION OF 2010

WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines solemnly enshrines the principle that a public office is a public trust and mandates that public officers and employees, who are servants of the people, must at all times be accountable to the latter, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives;

by Harry Roque Much has been said about the Truth Commission. While it is true that this body promised by President Noynoy Aquino as a…