I am reprinting “Remember Eduardo T. Quintero” which was published more than two years ago on October 27, 2007 during the bribery exposé by Gov. Fr. Ed Panlilio.
Recently, Conrado de Quiros wrote an article, ”Déjà Vu,” which detailed similar events — like the Quintero and Panlilio exposés – during the presidencies of Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Remember Eduardo T. Quintero
by Asuncion David Maramba
from Inquirer.net
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20071027-97082/Remember_Eduardo_T._Quintero
Eduardo Quintero, the “youngest, most brilliant brother” among seven siblings, was public servant for 44 years — from law clerk at the Bureau of Lands in 1925 to ambassador to Korea, the United Nations, Holland; to delegate to the Laurel-Langley Talks and to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, to name a few of the public offices he held. On being Leyte province’s delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, he wrote: “I considered my membership a very important chapter in my life. I was already 70 years old and I felt that my position as delegate would be the last position I was going to hold. It would be my ‘last hurrah’ … a fitting climax to my government career….”
Then came the money envelopes. “I received P11,150 inside 18 envelopes on 18 different occasions.” Staunch friends advised that the envelopes be kept in a safety deposit box in the Bank until the time was ripe to “drop the bombshell.”
On May 19, 1972, he dropped the bombshell — the “Quintero Exposé.” “I have decided to turn over the money now — before the Convention votes on the issue of the parliamentary system vs. the presidential system. . . .”
This was the most difficult decision he had ever made. “Bothered by his conscience,” he chose to do “the correct thing.” “His hands were trembling so much that some of the bills contained in the envelope he was holding fell out, landing near his feet.”
Falling sick as persecution swiftly followed and driven to self-exile in the United States, he died at 84 of heart attack on Dec. 17, 1984, “vilified, mocked and belittled for his efforts … his name unvindicated.” Four years after his death on June 24, 1988, he was finally vindicated by the Supreme Court. His name is now enshrined in the Bantayog Ng Mga Bayani [Monument of Heroes].
Flash forward. On TV and on Page 1 of the Inquirer’s Oct. 16 issue is Fr. Ed Panlilio, governor of Pampanga province, showing P500,000 given to him in Malacañang on Oct 11, 2007. His stand is clear. He considered the money to have come from public funds, as it was given by Malacañang and it will be used for public purposes. He would return the money “if this was given as a bribe.” He wrote a letter to Malacañang “to acknowledge the receipt of the money and to request the name of the payer.”
“I have a conscience and it is the voice of God. I opted to listen to my conscience.”
It’s déjà vu of two disturbingly honest men who carried us to the very core of corruption. But the déjà vu must stop right here.
Already, parallels have been drawn between President Ferdinand Marcos and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Already, like Quintero’s co-delegates who slinked into their corners denying the envelopes, we are witnessing denials by “givers” and “givens.” “I did not receive any money — I wasn’t there — I don’t know.” What is it? Christmas gift, donation, “pabaon” [send-off gift], incentive bonus, normal practice (which doesn’t make it right)? Where did it come from? That is the question to end all questions. Now we know the fancy labels given to the staggering funds at the disposal of the President!
Bizarre scenario: Only Father Ed produced the goods; only he must have received P500,000. It’s scapegoat season. [Gov. Joselito Mendoza of Bulacan has corroborated Father Ed’s “revelation”; on Oct. 23, the League of Provinces of the Philippines claimed that the money came from the organization.]
Now more than ever, Father Ed needs all the support he can get. The Catholic Church most of all, should close ranks if only to make up for doing a Pilate on him. No one missed the cold shoulder he got when he waded into political action, “suspended from the priesthood” by a confounding ruling. What a boost to now see Bishop Paciano Aniceto, his superior, standing up for him, and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) supporting him and calling on other public officials to follow his example.
What a welcome headline: “CBCP tells execs: Admit Palace gift” (Inquirer, 10/17/07), a broadside on the queen the bishops saved in July 2006 (when they rejected impeachment) and in December 2006 (with their promise of an EDSA People Power-like prayer rally for a “character” rather than a Charter change; the rally fizzled out as a parochial pious exercise).
The hierarchical Church may have to contend with allusions to envelopes given some prelates in that July conference after which not a peep of protest was raised by them. They may have to forego such “gifts” and once and for all settle their morality. Attempts to defile may continue. It is possible to think that that P500,000 was meant to ensnare Father Ed. I have no doubt that the Church, with less fear and more firmness, can handle all that.
Another factor works for Father Ed. Quintero’s historical moment was the very threshold of martial law, such that the orchestration to “destroy” him was total, making Quintero both martyr and hero.
Our endangered political climate is still free and the press and TV are all over the place. Having “learned to be angry,” civil society is more aware and awakened. Father Ed counts on it: “Once truth is set forth, the adherence to this truth will snowball and a critical mass of people will support it.” What, indeed, if issue and crusader are “thrust into the forefront of national life” and played out on a national level?
Asuncion David Maramba is a retired professor, book editor and occasional journalist. Comments to marda_ph@yahoo.com; fax +632 8284454.
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