Rep. Teodoro Casino (Party-list, Bayan Muna) said Cruz's allegations are serious enough to merit an investigation by Congress. "If his claims are true, then the officials concerned should be sanctioned and charged appropriately."
Casino said the allegations that two of President Aquino's trusted officials are receiving jueteng payola strongly contradict the chief executive's promise of a clean and honest government.
"We call on Archbishop Cruz to support us in any forthcoming investigation by identifying the erring aides or officials of the President and providing proof against them," said Casino, chairman of the House committee on small business and entrepreneurship development.
Rep. Rodolfo Albano (1st District, Isabela) said lawmakers should act quickly to probe the allegations of Cruz as he expressed dismay that the anti-corruption campaign of President Aquino is being undermined by some of the chief executive's very own people.
"These aides or officials are doing a disservice to the government and to the people. They should be named and investigated immediately as well as their cohorts in the jueteng operations," said Albano.
Albano commended Cruz for his continuous and valiant crusade against jueteng. "His courage is commendable."
Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City), a vice chairman of the House committee on human rights, said an investigation into the jueteng payola issue is the most logical and urgent thing for Congress to do to uncover and ultimately stop the alleged abuses of the concerned aides of the President.
Nograles said what makes it more disturbing is the report that the two aides are holding key security posts, and part of their jobs is to eradicate jueteng operations.
"We urge Archbishop Cruz to continue his vigilance and also help us in any forthcoming inquiry into the issue by providing evidence against the aides concerned," said Nograles.
Earlier, Cruz, who heads the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, said jueteng had turned into a "political monster" under the Aquino administration. He said the two officials' names surfaced in the latest summary of field reports submitted to him by the Krusadang Bayan's nationwide network. President Aquino meanwhile urged Cruz to show proof, no matter how little, so he can investigate the officials concerned.
12 September 2010 01:32:39 PM
Writer: Rowena B. Bundang, MRS-PRIB
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