This page contains significant gestures of recognition from around the world on the effort of the Aquino administration in its fight against graft and corruption.
FROM INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
Not many days after Arroyo allies questioned EO 1, creating the Truth Commission headed by former Chief SC Justice Hilario Davide Jr., senior associate of the New York-based International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), Ruben Carranza Jr., confirmed that the Truth Commission has "constitutional basis, the most important of which was a provision in the Bill of Rights guaranteed the protection of human rights and the one for the state to adhere to international human rights standards that have been recognized, which include the duty to investigate, prosecute and prevent."
Carranza was a former undersecretary of defense and commissioner of the Presidential Commission for Good Government (PCGG).
At the "Forum on Truth Commission and Transitional Justice: Understanding the Work of Truth Commissions" at the UP Law Center on 16 August 2010, Carranza said any president or Congress could create a truth commission. He also said that presidents creating a truth commission find precedence in other countries such as , in addition to PCGG that former president Corazon Aquino created in 1986. [Source: "Truth Commission more like an inquiry body--law expert," Philippine Daily Inquirer 16 August 2010]
In addition to Davide, the five-member commission includes retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Romeo Callejo and Ateneo law professor Carlos Medina (executive director of the Ateneo Human Rights Center and co-convenor of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections). [Sources: Ina Reformina: "Ateneo prof to join Truth Commission," ABS-CBN News 17 August 2010; JKV: "Jinggoy Estrada rants against ex-chief justice," Sun-Star Cebu 18 August 2010]
FROM THE MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP
Carranza was a former undersecretary of defense and commissioner of the Presidential Commission for Good Government (PCGG).
At the "Forum on Truth Commission and Transitional Justice: Understanding the Work of Truth Commissions" at the UP Law Center on 16 August 2010, Carranza said any president or Congress could create a truth commission. He also said that presidents creating a truth commission find precedence in other countries such as , in addition to PCGG that former president Corazon Aquino created in 1986. [Source: "Truth Commission more like an inquiry body--law expert," Philippine Daily Inquirer 16 August 2010]
In addition to Davide, the five-member commission includes retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Romeo Callejo and Ateneo law professor Carlos Medina (executive director of the Ateneo Human Rights Center and co-convenor of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections). [Sources: Ina Reformina: "Ateneo prof to join Truth Commission," ABS-CBN News 17 August 2010; JKV: "Jinggoy Estrada rants against ex-chief justice," Sun-Star Cebu 18 August 2010]
FROM THE MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP
On 6 August 2010, Friday, the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreed to grant to the Republic of the Philippines $434 million poverty and graft-fighting grants under the two-month-old Aquino adminstration. It signals trust and confidence to the present administration, considering that the Arroyo administration have tried to get it for almost two years but failed as her administration flunked the corruption test. [Source: Rodney Jalecon: "US unlocks $434M for Aquino gov't," ABS-CBN North American News Bureau 07 Aug 2010]
About a year (late 2006) after Merceditas Gutierrez came into the Ombudsman in November 2005, MCC poured $ 6 million grant to the Ombudsman as the control of corruption indicator had been high. The Philippines made the 76th percentile in 2006. But in 2007, its level dipped to 57th percentile, and then 47th percentile in 2008. The Philippines then flunked in the MCC's fiscal year 2009 report, particularly in three areas--control of corruption (47 percent), health expenditures (19 percent), and primary education (32 percent). This forced MCC to put on hold the release of the remaining $15 million it is eligible in 2006 and earlier. [Source: Aries Rufo: "MCC report: Ombudsman wasting US firm's anti-graft aid," abs-cbnNEWS Newsbreak 07 Jan 2009]
On 24 September 2010, in a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and MCC CEO Daniel Yohannes signed the Republic of the Philippines-Millennium Challenge Corporation (GRP-MCC) Compact that grants $434 million in fresh funds to the country that will fund three projects will address MCC-compatible developmental needs in the country--revenue collection, poverty alleviation, and infrastructures. These projects are The Revenue Administration Reform Project (RARP) [US$54.3 million], which directly targets improvements in governance or "internal integrity" within the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) [US$120 million], which ensures that essential resources are provided to needy communities and enforces transparency and accountability for local development projects; The Secondary National Roads Project [US$214.4 million], which creates a 222-kilometer road segment in Samar/Eastern Samar area, and checks on construction standards and road contractors. [Source: Sandra Aguinaldo & Jam Sisante: "PNoy renews anti-corruption vow as US grants $434-M aid," GMAnews.TV 24 September 2010]
About a year (late 2006) after Merceditas Gutierrez came into the Ombudsman in November 2005, MCC poured $ 6 million grant to the Ombudsman as the control of corruption indicator had been high. The Philippines made the 76th percentile in 2006. But in 2007, its level dipped to 57th percentile, and then 47th percentile in 2008. The Philippines then flunked in the MCC's fiscal year 2009 report, particularly in three areas--control of corruption (47 percent), health expenditures (19 percent), and primary education (32 percent). This forced MCC to put on hold the release of the remaining $15 million it is eligible in 2006 and earlier. [Source: Aries Rufo: "MCC report: Ombudsman wasting US firm's anti-graft aid," abs-cbnNEWS Newsbreak 07 Jan 2009]
On 24 September 2010, in a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and MCC CEO Daniel Yohannes signed the Republic of the Philippines-Millennium Challenge Corporation (GRP-MCC) Compact that grants $434 million in fresh funds to the country that will fund three projects will address MCC-compatible developmental needs in the country--revenue collection, poverty alleviation, and infrastructures. These projects are The Revenue Administration Reform Project (RARP) [US$54.3 million], which directly targets improvements in governance or "internal integrity" within the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) [US$120 million], which ensures that essential resources are provided to needy communities and enforces transparency and accountability for local development projects; The Secondary National Roads Project [US$214.4 million], which creates a 222-kilometer road segment in Samar/Eastern Samar area, and checks on construction standards and road contractors. [Source: Sandra Aguinaldo & Jam Sisante: "PNoy renews anti-corruption vow as US grants $434-M aid," GMAnews.TV 24 September 2010]
