Issues re: plunder raps vs. ex-PAGCOR chief

BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO


LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “ `Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you…” (Jeremiah 32:17, the Holy Bible).
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ISSUES RE: PLUNDER RAPS VS. EX PAGCOR CHIEF: The lawyer in me is saying there is something that does not fit in the latest criminal charges---for graft and plunder---that current officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) filed against former PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino, two of his children, and a host of other former PAGCOR officials, and even against officials of a foundation that later became a party list.

First: could Genuino and his lawyers and officers have been so careless while they were still in PAGCOR that they allowed millions of PAGCOR money to be spent for a private entity like BIDA (or Batang Iwas sa Droga Foundation) without making sure the requirements of the law were complied with at the outset?

Second: was it not the government’s prime concern then, at the time of Genuino, to fight the drug menace which had by then gripped millions of Filipino children across the country, so that it was well within PAGCOR’s mandate to use much of its money in this fight of a lifetime to lick the scourge of illegal drugs among the youth, even if it meant using a private foundation for the purpose?

Third: is current PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr saying, with this latest complaint against Genuino, that this country should not engage itself in the fight against the drug menace decimating our children?

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MORE THAN AN APOLOGY IS NEEDED: The apology of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) over the involvement of its leaders in the fund scandal besetting the Philippines Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is acceptable, but then, there is no denying the fact that it has to do more than apologize if it wants to put a stop to controversies involving its leaders.
For starters, the CBCP may want to focus on reviewing its style of ministering to the spiritual needs of Roman Catholics. Right now, it cannot be denied that many Catholics are no longer being trained to listen to the Word of God through the Bible, and so, many of the faithful get easily swayed when they see and hear someone explaining what the Bible is all about, prompting them to leave and be gone for good.

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GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD’S SALVATION: Here is Romans 1:15-16 of the Bible, which tells us that we should all endeavor to preach the Gospel: “…That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 

“For in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: `The righteous will live by faith.’ ”


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Isyu re: plunder vs. ex-PAGCOR chief

INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “…Panginoong Diyos, ikaw ang may gawa ng langit at lupa, sa pamamagitan ng iyong dakilang kapangyarihan at mga kamay. Walang anumang mahirap para sa iyo…” (Jeremias 32:17, Bibliya).


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MGA ISYU RE: PLUNDER RAPS VS. EX PAGCOR CHIEF: Sa aking buhay bilang abogado, nakikita kong tila may hindi wasto sa mga bagong kaso ng katiwalian at pandarambong na isinampa ng Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) laban sa dating chairman nito na si Efraim Genuino, sa kanyang dalawang anak at mga dating opisyales, at laban sa mga opisyales ng isang foundation na naging party list. 

Una: nagpakadalos-dalos ba si Genuino, ang kanyang mga abogado at ang kanyang mga dating opisyales habang pinamumunuan pa nila ang PAGCOR at hinayaan nilang gastusin ang milyon-milyong pondo ng PAGCOR para sa isang pribadong grupong gaya ng BIDA (o Batang Iwas sa Droga Foundation) ng hindi man lamang nila siniguradong ang mga reglamento ay natupad muna?

Pangalawa: hindi ba pangunahing proyeko ng gobyerno noong nasa PAGCOR pa si Genuino na labanan ang ilegal na droga na bumibikta na noon pa man ng milyong mga kabataang Pilipino sa buong bansa, kaya nasa kapangyarihan ng PAGCOR na gamitin ang pera nito sa mga proyekto upang maproteksiyunan ang mga bata, kahit na sa pamamagitan ng isang pribadong foundation?

Pangatlo: sinasabi ba ng kasalukuyang PAGCOR Chairman, Cristino Naguiat Jr., sa kanyang pinakahuling demanda kontra kay Genuino, na ang bansang ito ay hindi dapat kumilos laban sa problema sa drogang kumikitil sa buhay at kinabukasan ng kabataan?

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HIGIT PA SA PAUMANHIN: Katanggap-tanggap nga naman ang paghingi ng paumanhin ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) sa pagkakasangkot ng mga lider nito sa gusot sa pondo ng Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), pero higit pa rito ang kailangan upang tuluyang matapos na ang kontrobersiya sa hanay nito.
Una, baka gusto ng CBCP na pag-ukulan ng pansin ang estilo nito ngayon sa pagtugon sa mga pangangailangang espirituwal ng mga Romano Katoliko. Sa ngayon kasi, di maitatatwang hindi na natuturuang mabuti ng Salita ang mga Katoliko, kaya naman nagugulat at napapahanga sila sa mga mahuhusay magpaliwanag ng Bibliya, daan upang umalis sila at makuha na ng ibang grupo.

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MABUTING BALITA, KAPANGYARIHAN NG DIYOS SA PAGLILIGTAS: Naririto po ang Roma 1:15-16 ng Bibliya, na nagsasabing dapat ay nagsusumikap tayong lahat na ipangaral ang Mabuting Balita: “… Kaya naman masigasig ang aking pagnanais na maipangaral ang Mabuting Balita sa inyong mga nasa Roma.

 “Sapagkat hindi ko ikinahihiya ang Mabuting Balita, dahil ito ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos sa kaligtasan para sa lahat ng nananampalataya: una sa mga Hudyo at, pagkatapos, sa mga Hentil.

“Sapagkat nahahayag mula sa Mabuting Balita ang katuwiran ng Diyos---isang katuwirang batay sa pananampalataya mula sa umpisa hanggang wakas, gaya ng nasusulat: `ang mga matuwid ay mabubuhay sa pananampalataya.’ ”