A citizen’s call re issuing waivers to confidentiality of foreign currency accounts

Sharing this facebook post from a friend who in turn received it from a member of the Defense. The letter came from a very involved, concerned citizen.

As tuesday draws closer, we all wait with baited breath what will become of all the protagonists in the greatest political drama of this century. The end is in sight for the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona. Everyone from pundits to bookies have their deep analysis of how the vote will go down. Does it really matter, at this point? Where do we go after this saga ends? Do we move on? To what?

It was Alan Peter Cayetano on the floor of the senate who pointed me to the the best possible outcome for the impeachment case. Briefly, he reminded everyone that he challenged Mr. Arroyo to waive his rights to bank secrecy by declaring his own willingness to execute such a waiver. While the idea is not, therefore, novel, it presents a fresh option that we must all consider.

We are all tired of hearing the technical objections of Cuevas and his team. We are equally tired of watching each member of the prosecution posturing for his 15 minutes of fame. We are also tired of constantly reminding ourselves that many of the senators and congressmen could match Corona’s alleged dollars many times over and then some. The people are tired and the nation is divided. We need to see a more noble outcome than a mere verdict of guilt or acquittal. What would the people gain by the conviction of Corona? A new chief Justice who will be immediately suspect as the President’s or Justice Antonio Carpio’s lackey? And if acquitted, do we get a renewed or a damaged chief justice? Either way, the consequences seem wholly unsatisfactory. AFter all that’s been said and done, can the nation walk away with anything beyond the endless conspiracy theories about political agendas of various interests, fabricated or suppressed evidence, ill-gotten wealth, family business interest or even skewed interpretations of the our laws and the Constitution?

There is a glimmer, albeit unlikely, ray of hope for us yet. It might actually be possible to reunite our nation if all those concerned — the Chief Justice, the Senators and the Prosecutors — simultaneously issue waivers for their dollar accounts and open these up to the public. If they do this, who needs Corona’s testimony? Who would care afterwards? In all probability, the outcome of such a revelation might stun the people, but only momentarily. The nation is entitled to know. The people are already convinced that holding public office is an opportunity to amass ill-gotten wealth. Besides, with what I have come to know of our political temperament, I am quite sure we will all get used to the idea that amassing money is a given among persons in public office. What the heck, we all accept it anyway. The point is, why do we have to wait for our officials to be hailed into court or a similar forum? Why don’t we just demand a moment of truth while in the course of hanging Corona? It is our right as a people to find out for certain what we have suspected all along. I am quite confident that the money to be discovered in such a disclosure would be more than just mind-boggling.

The scuttle butt in fact, is that Corona’s money is good only for the little leagues.

I appeal to all of you who have grown tired of this drama to join together. Let us call on CJ Corona, the Senator judges and the Prosecutors to all issue waivers to the confidentiality of foreign currency accounts. They all owe it to us.

Update: 188 Philippine Congressmen and Sen. Franklin Drilon: Accept the challenge: Sign the Waiver! (May 25, 2012)