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22 AUGUST 2003 |
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Statement of the President: Terrorism Threats | ||
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Statement of the President: Anti-Corruption | ||
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Statement of Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye |
| Statement of the President: Terrorism Threats |
We look forward to the quick resolution of the Baghdad bombing, and swift justice for the perpetrators. We must keep on fighting until terrorism retreats permanently. We must be on guard after the Jakarta and Baghdad bombings. We are taking preemptive measures, but the people themselves, through active vigilance, must form the first perimeter of public safety. |
| Statement of the President: Anti-Corruption |
We will combine negative and positive measures in the anti-corruption campaign. Punishment of the guilty is just as important as recognizing and rewarding integrity and dedication. The majority of our dedicated public servants must be brought to the light of the world, rather than those who steal and plunder. We must shun the culture of being in awe of those who enrich themselves in public office. Let us turn away from the profligate and the corrupt, and reserve our respect and esteem for those who lend pride to the service through their integrity and devotion to duty. |
| Statement of Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye |
Re Resignation of Customs Officials The President has been informed of the courtesy resignations of the Commissioner of Customs and his four deputy commissioners which were coursed through Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho. The President has not accepted their resignations and she is confident that the current Customs leadership is on the way to transforming the bureau into a model of efficiency, honesty and integrity. The Bureau of Customs in fact exceeded its collections target by 19 per cent in the first seven months of the year. The President is grateful for the commissioners gesture – done in the spirit of delicadeza and professionalism - which means that they will not hang on to their posts the minute the President feels that they are not implementing their marching orders to transform the bureau. The life-style checks being undertaken is one of the tools being implemented to rid government of corruption. It is both a moral imperative and a part of the President’s program to alleviate poverty. Every peso lost to graft and corruption is a peso lost to fund programs for the poor. The President is appealing to all government officials - the majority of whom are heroically serving the public at very modest pays – to help her rid their ranks of the few bad apples in the bureaucracy. We assure everyone in the government that due process will be observed in the investigations and rights of those under scrutiny be upheld. There will be no trial by publicity. Charges of graft and unexplained wealth have been, and will only be, made in the proper forum. |