Gopac-Seapac renews PHL’s anti-corruption pledge

LAST Friday, the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption (Gopac) and the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians against Corruption (Seapac) held the Philippine Chapter Workshop on Anti-Money Laundering and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (Uncac).

As vice chairman of Gopac and founding president of Seapac, I chaired the capacity-building workshop held to equip Filipino legislators with knowledge and tools to fight corruption. It was also a renewal of our commitment to combat corruption and promote good governance.

Gopac-Seapac’s Global Task Forces focus on five critical areas of the campaign against corruption, namely, Parliamentary Oversight, Parliamentary Ethics and Conduct, and Participation of Society, Anti-Money Laundering and Uncac. I believe the last two will be the game-changers, hence our workshop’s focus on them.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee; lawyer Julia Bacay-Abad, head of the Presidential Management Staff; and lawyer Vicente Aquino, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, discussed the updates and operation reports on the Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla).

Meanwhile, Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Dean Andres Bautista of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG),  Vincent T. Lazatin of the Transparency Accountability Network and David L. Balangue of the Coalition Against Corruption discussed how their respective offices and agencies contribute to the effective implementation of the Uncac strategic framework.

My colleague from the Gopac Board, Roy Cullen, former MP of Canada, delivered an insightful presentation on Gopac’s Action Guide for parliamentarians on anti-money laundering.

Sen. Franklin M. Drilon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and former Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, who are both involved in organizing Gopac’s 2013 Global Conference in Manila from January 31 to February 2, 2013, also joined the workshop.

Other delegates from government were Second District of Maguindanao Rep. Simeon A. Datumanong; Third District of Batangas Rep. Sonny P. Collantes; Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan; BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr.; SEC Chairman Teresita Herbosa; Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc; and Chairman Cesar Villanueva of the Governance Commission on GOCCs.

Delegates from civic organizations were lawyer Avelino Cruz, president of the Asean Law Association; Dr. Georgina Encanto, president of Transparency International-Philippines; Judge Dolores Español, chairman of Transparency International-Philippines; and lawyer Araceli Villanueva, treasurer of Transparency International-Philippines.

We also welcomed a special guest: Gen. Teeradej Meepien, president of the Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand and vice president of the National Assembly. He emphasized that Thailand is one with the Philippines and the international community, in implementing anti-money laundering measures and combating terrorist-financing regimes. He also expressed his intention to establish a Thailand Chapter of Gopac, as well as his country’s willingness to host the next Gopac-Seapac Workshop.

The Thai delegation also included other members of the Thai Senate: Bancha Phongaryukul, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives; Anan Ariyachaipanich, chairman of the Committee on Public Health; and Sutham Phanthusak, vice president of the Thailand-Philippines Parliamentarians Friendship Group.

Between our panelists, resource persons and special guests, we had a very productive and candid assessment of our country’s anti-corruption efforts through the Amla and Uncac. (All presentations can be downloaded at www.edangara.com).

The Philippines signed on to Uncac as early as 2003, and subsequently ratified it in 2006, to strengthen the government’s anti-corruption drive and aid in current and future efforts to recover ill-gotten wealth.

We have made inroads in fighting corruption that we can be proud of. The laws I have authored to minimize the opportunity for corruption in government purchases (Government E-Procurement Law) and give teeth to efforts to prosecute dishonest public officials (creation of the Office of the Ombudsman) are milestones in that fight. I had also filed the Terrorist Financing Suppression Act, an amendment to the Amla, which is nearing passage by the Senate.

But much more needs to be done. Numerous studies have shown that over and above financial and economic losses, corruption weakens states, threatens development and undermines the rule of law. It is a social cancer and a major hindrance to development. We should seize the opportunity given by the people to restore good governance and initiate reforms. Our people’s trust in the administration’s moral uprightness is high, and their expectations of reform equally so, if not even higher.

This year Gopac celebrates its 10th founding anniversary and Seapac, its fifth. I strongly believe both will be vital in linking up our lawmakers with others in the world to face the collective challenge of eliminating corruption from our institutions.

We are looking forward to the 2013 Global Conference in Manila—our country’s opportunity to show we are determined to rid our government of the graft and corruption that have long tarnished our reputation in the eyes of the international community.

Source: Businessmirror.com