Morality play
MORALITY IN governance was the standard that the suspended Catholic priest Eddie T. Panlilio unfurled and raised full mast at the Pampanga Capitol.
Morality in governance was the font whence sprang the tremendous increase in quarry collections that won for the province the Gawad Galing Pook. Never mind businessman Rene Romero ululating “Undeserved!”
Morality in governance exorcised the bidding process and the procurement system of the evils of the “SOP” and under-the-table commissions. Never mind the oh-so-slooooow implementation of projects and purchase of medicines.
Morality in governance – the operative and definitive phrase of the Panlilio administration appears to be lapsing into dysfunction.
No, never on account of those malicious rumors of some romantic entanglements between key Capitol players.
No, not simply because of the fall in the quarry collections.
No, not simply due to the P675,000 paid by the Capitol to a denominational church where still (?) putative provincial administrator Atty. Vivian T. Dabu worships.
The moral issue besetting the Capitol now is all about Dabu. Her sworn statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) specifically, vis-à-vis her income tax return (ITR).
To refresh, Punto! on Monday bannered “Dabu’s worth nearly doubled in 1 year.”
Yes – despite the global recession, despite her being an unsalaried Capitol worker – Dabu managed the miracle of zero liabilities and a net worth of P7.9 million in 2007.
A greater miracle Dabu wielded in 2008 when her net worth – again despite the global financial crunch and the absence of salary from the Capitol – even soared to P13.9 million.
If that earning came from Dabu’s listed “business interests” of a Chrono International Co. in San Pablo II, Lubao, Pampanga which she owns; of stocks in Petron Corp.; and of a Dabu and Duque Law in the City of San Fernando, where she is a partner, her SALN did not indicate.
In an interview with this paper’s Joey Pavia, Dabu said her earnings came from legal fees: “I stopped handling legal cases when I began to work at the Capitol beginning 2007. But there were some cases I chose to finish and we won them, allowing me to earn.” So there, she did not earn millions from Chrono International Co. selling perfumes in Barangay San Pablo. So there too, she did not earn millions from her Petron stocks with gas prices reaching the stars.
So she earned from legal fees. Must be some big cases there, with millions earned. Corporate? Realty? Electoral? Criminal? Dabu did not say. As Pavia did not ask.
So we leave it at that? Convinced of Dabu’s straightforward: “I declared the truth and they are still receivables” as gospel truth?
Dabu gave only a half-truth there. Yes, for 2007 the amount of P7,050,000 is indeed entered under “cash and receivables.” But for 2008 the amount of P13,050,000 is listed as “cash on hand/ bank deposits.” That is not something still awaiting receipt of. That is money in the bag, whether in the hand or in the bank.
But that is the least of things wanting in consistency where Dabu’s documents are concerned.
In her 2008 SALN, Dabu’s annual gross salary was listed at P297,276, her annual gross family income at P560,000. Where Dabu got these incomes – remember, she did not get any salary from the Capitol – it was not indicated in the SALN.
Now, consider Dabu’s purported 2008 ITR.
“Total revenues” or income earned amounted to P71,722.75.
Do we see here an undeclared income of P6 million – the difference between her 2007 and 2008 assets, on top of the gross salary and gross family incomes she listed in her 2008 SALN?
I am neither a financial whiz nor a legal luminary, so I can’t deduce a case of tax evasion or under-declaration here.
But moral issues I can raise. Not so much for any moral conceit on my part as for the expressed morality the Panlilio administration has championed at the Capitol, as for its self-proclaimed moral ascendancy.
As Caesar’s – the great Julius’ that is, not the lowly Lacson’s – wife must be above suspicion, so must Panlilio’s partner in the moral governance of Pampanga.
Did I just hear someone shout ‘Ombudsman”?
Morality in governance was the font whence sprang the tremendous increase in quarry collections that won for the province the Gawad Galing Pook. Never mind businessman Rene Romero ululating “Undeserved!”
Morality in governance exorcised the bidding process and the procurement system of the evils of the “SOP” and under-the-table commissions. Never mind the oh-so-slooooow implementation of projects and purchase of medicines.
Morality in governance – the operative and definitive phrase of the Panlilio administration appears to be lapsing into dysfunction.
No, never on account of those malicious rumors of some romantic entanglements between key Capitol players.
No, not simply because of the fall in the quarry collections.
No, not simply due to the P675,000 paid by the Capitol to a denominational church where still (?) putative provincial administrator Atty. Vivian T. Dabu worships.
The moral issue besetting the Capitol now is all about Dabu. Her sworn statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) specifically, vis-à-vis her income tax return (ITR).
To refresh, Punto! on Monday bannered “Dabu’s worth nearly doubled in 1 year.”
Yes – despite the global recession, despite her being an unsalaried Capitol worker – Dabu managed the miracle of zero liabilities and a net worth of P7.9 million in 2007.
A greater miracle Dabu wielded in 2008 when her net worth – again despite the global financial crunch and the absence of salary from the Capitol – even soared to P13.9 million.
If that earning came from Dabu’s listed “business interests” of a Chrono International Co. in San Pablo II, Lubao, Pampanga which she owns; of stocks in Petron Corp.; and of a Dabu and Duque Law in the City of San Fernando, where she is a partner, her SALN did not indicate.
In an interview with this paper’s Joey Pavia, Dabu said her earnings came from legal fees: “I stopped handling legal cases when I began to work at the Capitol beginning 2007. But there were some cases I chose to finish and we won them, allowing me to earn.” So there, she did not earn millions from Chrono International Co. selling perfumes in Barangay San Pablo. So there too, she did not earn millions from her Petron stocks with gas prices reaching the stars.
So she earned from legal fees. Must be some big cases there, with millions earned. Corporate? Realty? Electoral? Criminal? Dabu did not say. As Pavia did not ask.
So we leave it at that? Convinced of Dabu’s straightforward: “I declared the truth and they are still receivables” as gospel truth?
Dabu gave only a half-truth there. Yes, for 2007 the amount of P7,050,000 is indeed entered under “cash and receivables.” But for 2008 the amount of P13,050,000 is listed as “cash on hand/ bank deposits.” That is not something still awaiting receipt of. That is money in the bag, whether in the hand or in the bank.
But that is the least of things wanting in consistency where Dabu’s documents are concerned.
In her 2008 SALN, Dabu’s annual gross salary was listed at P297,276, her annual gross family income at P560,000. Where Dabu got these incomes – remember, she did not get any salary from the Capitol – it was not indicated in the SALN.
Now, consider Dabu’s purported 2008 ITR.
“Total revenues” or income earned amounted to P71,722.75.
Do we see here an undeclared income of P6 million – the difference between her 2007 and 2008 assets, on top of the gross salary and gross family incomes she listed in her 2008 SALN?
I am neither a financial whiz nor a legal luminary, so I can’t deduce a case of tax evasion or under-declaration here.
But moral issues I can raise. Not so much for any moral conceit on my part as for the expressed morality the Panlilio administration has championed at the Capitol, as for its self-proclaimed moral ascendancy.
As Caesar’s – the great Julius’ that is, not the lowly Lacson’s – wife must be above suspicion, so must Panlilio’s partner in the moral governance of Pampanga.
Did I just hear someone shout ‘Ombudsman”?
posted by A.Caesar Z. Lacson at 2:28 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home