Akbayan dares pro-GMA solons: Investigate Arroyo’s KKK

This is a press statement from Akbayan.

Akbayan Party today challenged pro-GMA legislators to investigate the former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s own KKK. The progressive political party made the statement amid the desire of minority legislators from the House of Representatives to investigate alleged corrupt government officials under the Aquino government.

“We issue a double dare to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s loyalists. Since they developed a sudden proclivity for transparency and the truth, we challenge them to support the people’s desire to investigate the previous administration’s own KKK, namely, its Korap, Katongpats at Kasangga,” former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros said taking off from the Arroyo partisans’ KKK or Kaibigan, Kaklase at Kabarilan, a reference to Aquino’s alleged political cronies.

“Let us put the former administration’s KKKs, even GMA and her family altogether under severe scrutiny. Since they say they are for government accountability, surely it wouldn’t be too bothersome to run after those in their ranks that should be made accountable for past crimes,” Hontiveros added.

Hontiveros said the pro-Arroyo legislators were “suffering from a bad case of double standards” on the issue of corruption. She said it is amusing that those who were demonstrably silent on the corrupt practices of the previous administration have suddenly transformed into anti-corruption crusaders.

“Nakakatawa na nakakainis. I think it is just plain hypocrisy on their part. They have no right to use and abuse the people’s anti-corruption crusade to advance their selfish interest,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros asserted that the Arroyo camp is only trying to redirect the people’s clamor for accountability concerning the previous administration’s wrongdoings.

“Ms. Arroyo, her family and their cohorts know that they will be prosecuted for their crimes against the people. So instead of being in a defensive mode, they are trying to turn the tables by playing an offensive game,” Hontiveros explained.

Akbayan also asked the Aquino government to issue a new executive order creating a truth commission in any case the administration’s motion for reconsideration filed before the Supreme Court concerning Executive Order No. 1 creating a Truth Commission is dismissed by the high tribunal.

It was reported that the high court declared the order to create a truth body is in violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution. The Aquino government, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a motion for reconsideration asking the SC to reconsider its decision to void EO 1.

“While we hope the high court will reverse its earlier decision on the commission, we nonetheless ask the Aquino administration to consider crafting a new order just to be on the safe side,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said a Truth Commission would help buttress the government’s anti-corruption campaign by probing the previous government’s KKK.

“The Aquino government must not be intimidated by the Arroyo camp’s latest effort to avoid prosecution. It must stay committed to the path of reforming the bureaucracy and exacting accountability from the previous Arroyo regime. A truth body will be an important instrument to realize this endeavor,” Hontiveros said.
However, Hontiveros also encouraged Pres. Aquino to comprehensively account the government’s present public officials and let go all those who are undermining the government’s anti-corruption platform.

“If the charges have basis then the government must do what is necessary. The fight against corruption is not partisan to any political individual or group. Good governance is in favor of truth and transparency,” Hontiveros concluded