Philippines: Resign call justified; Arroyo government pushing threshold of corrupt practices

Cause-oriented groups are not surprised over the freezing of $232 million worth of infrastructure loans from the World Bank to the Philippine government on the basis of corruption allegations.

“The move of the World Bank merely affirms what we already know, that many public works projects in the Philippines are tainted with corruption. If a foreign multilateral lending agency like the World Bank can take notice of these shady deals then the Arroyo administration must really be pushing the threshold of corrupt practices,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“This is not the first time a road project was overpriced. We remember the infamous P1.1 billion Diosdado Macapagal Boulveard which was considered as the most expensive stretch of road on earth. It was believed to be an overpriced stretch of road. The case is still pending with the Sandiganbayan,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that big foreign donors and lenders must also rethink their continued support for the Arroyo government in the light of allegations of corruption.

“We also call on big donor countries to rethink their aid to the Arroyo government. It is really a cause for alarm if there is the perception that these aid goes to the pockets of some unscrupulous officials,” Reyes said.

Resign call justified

Reacting to the Pulse Asia survey that 59% of the public believe a corrupt president should resign, Bayan said that this vindicates the calls made by a broad range of Opposition forces for the President to step down.

“There are varying levels of disgust present among the when it comes to Mrs. Arroyo. They are willing to express these sentiments in varying ways, not just through protest actions and rallies. The least common sentiment is for the president to step down,” Reyes said.

“If the allegations of corruption and misrule do not die down, the sentiments calling for Arroyo’s resignation is bound to grow. The forms of protest may vary but they will all intersect with the resign call,” Reyes added. ###

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