The JLN pork barrel scandal

Aquino abolishes Pork Barrel! Here's the full text of his speech today:

A nice feat of navigation between Scylla and Charybdis...between outraged public opinion and the financial needs of the hopelessly corrupt political class

Well .... not completely.

More from the Manila Bulletin.

'Million people' protest vs corruption, pork barrel misuse set

"Protests fuelled by the public's outrage over the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds will culminate on Monday, August 26, in "A Million People's March to Luneta,” which is seen to become the massive protest against corruption in government.

No single group has been identified to be the main organizer of the protest, which was first called for through Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

"Non-partisan, galit lang sa kawatan ... Wear white for solidarity ... 9:00 a.m.," the poster for the march reads.

The graphic with a design characteristic of posters in the 1980s features a raised fist highlighted with the rays of the sun of the Philippine flag."

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...-protest-vs-corruption-pork-barrel-misuse-set

There are similar demonstrations planned elsewhere including both Cebu and Davao.

I was amused to note the Parks Authority issuing a Permit for the meeting in Luneta Park and courteously asking those planning to attend to avoid travelling by car as there is limited car parking space available.

I think that tells us a lot about the people whom the Parks Authority expect to attend - the "netizens" - the IT-savvy middle classes, rather than Juan de la Cruz from the barrios.

And the latest twist, showing commendably decisive action by the President:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/25/13/aquino-fires-palace-consultant-linked-napoles

Aquino offers 10m PHP for information leading to JLN

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/08/28/aquino-p10-m-bounty-napoles-300149

Napoles surrenders to Aquino

Evidently she has turned herself in.

According to the Manila Bulletin, Janet Napoles is being held in an air-conditioned office at Makati City Jail and sleeps on an airbed. Apparently she suffers from diabetes and thus needs air-con which prompts me to wonder how many inmates in the country's jails are similarly affected but get no special treatment. Napoles, however, has friends in high places and if she's ever convicted will likely serve her sentence in a penthouse suite at the Hyatt or some other four or five star hotel.

Here's her mugshot:


the publication of which has led to the posting, on Facebook, of some variations:

Her importance is as a witness - assuming she can point the investigators to her written records.

The Filipino people have a long fuse.

I remember the events of thirty years ago - the murder of Benigno Aquino on the 21st August 1983

The international media expected the Philippines to explode in wrath and have a violent revolution.

Nothing much happened - there was a big funeral, not much reported on by the heavily censored media, and that seemed to be it.

A very gradual rise in popular unrest caused President Marcos to call an election on February 7th 1986. He won by over a million votes, and was set for another six year term as President - except that public unease over the manipulation of the voting figures, with very evident fraud.

The Defence Minister and the Chief of Staff plotted a coup; the coup was betrayed, the two men took refuge in a barracks... and the upshot was the People Power Revolution of February 21-23 1986

I do think that we are seeing something similar here - a gradual increase in popular outrage. At the moment only the educated middle classes - the "chattering classes" are outraged, but that outrage is seeping out into the population as a whole. The position taken by the Church is likely to be very important.

Interesting stuff.

Always assuming she lives that long!

On the TV news last night there was a report that she is to be moved from Makati Jail to the PNP training facility at Sto Domingo Fort, Sta Rosa, Laguna - which is where Estrada was once held. There she will enjoy the relative comfort of a furnished and air-conditioned apartment and will be able to receive visitors.

The anti-Pork Barrel campaign continues with daily demonstrations in the Capital and there's to be a mass demonstration followed by a free concert on September 15; a sizeable number of celebrities will be in attendance including the Australian-Filipino actress Anne Curtis-Smith. The pressure is on PNoy to agree to forgo his huge "wedge" and his spokeswoman is making almost daily statements defending the President's Pork Barrel, claiming that there is transparency. But Juan and Maria are not convinced!

I was discussing this with a well-educated Filipino friend the other evening and he has misgivings about this whole issue. He argues that something will have to replace the current PDAF system and that "something" might well be just as corruptible as the system it replaces. He also fears that Luzon and in particular south Luzon and NCR will benefit to a far greater extent by any replacement than elsewhere in the country.

Interesting that she was determined not to surrender with anyone from the NBI present. Tells us something about whom she is afraid of.

This is the slow burning fuse; at the moment Juan and Maria are just starting to take an interest - with Anne Curtis on board the interest will grow good deal a faster. Whether Anne Curtis or Cardinal Tagle has more influence with Juan and Maria is hard to say, but with Ms Curtis and the Cardinal pulling in the same direction, things will start to happen.

Watch this space for more celebrity endorsements and expect to see celebrities on the "wrong" side of the issue pulled down.

The President's Pork Barrel is a red herring designed to distract from the issue - there is no suggestion that the President has been diverting public funds to his own account (he hardly needs to - he is extremely wealthy). But the men and women who have been helping themselves will do their utmost to raise this issue - Aquino I am sure will head them off at the pass by giving it up voluntarily (and finding the money he needs somewhere else)

Exactly; see my post no 60, above - the comments were from a TV producer, an editor and a politician. The "pork barrel system" will have to be continued in some form or the Congresscritters will run out of money - and because of the structure of politics, with every politician behaving, and expected to behave, like a "datu", handing out money and goodies to his/her constituents, the need for money is not confined to elections - though it reaches a peak at such times.

Simply cutting off the political class from their money won't work -- that I am sure is the big issue on which the midnight oil is being burned in the Malacanang - there will be a rising tide of popular outrage, and the question occupying everyone is how to put themselves at the head of it.

Today's "Economist" has a good summary here:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2013/08/corruption-philippines

Nice article.

Two articles from the Manila Bulletin: 17 more to testify vs Napoles:

CA gives AMLC 5 months to Scrutinize Napoles accounts: