Be humble while in public office

“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough in me to confess my errors and to retrace my step”

—Mahatma Gandhi

By Alex P. Vidal

THE late industrialist-politician Augusto “Buboy” Syjuco Jr. must have died a sad man.

In the remaining days of his life on earth, he fought tongs and hammer to clear his name from some of the graft charges he faced in the Sandiganbayan to no avail.

The cases involved millions of transactions undertaken when he was in public office first as congressman in the second district of Iloilo, and second as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

His wife, ex-solon Judy, was his co-accused in some of these cases for violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Did they really steal? 

Others think they did; some of both their critics and supporters believe otherwise given the legitimate wealth they amassed before they joined the government. 

For those who are in the twilight years of their life, facing criminal cases and the prospect of landing in jail would be equivalent to hell.

Thus we can only imagine the tribulation and sorrow Secretary Syjuco went through while he was battling the illness that took away his life while undergoing treatment in Singapore (where his body was reportedly cremated on January 13).  

Secretary Syjuco probably didn’t realize many of those cases (he was convicted in some of them and made a guilty plea in another case) would outlive him.

God bless Buboy Syjuco’s soul.

-o0o-

Let us remind our public officials that power is only temporary. 

If given the opportunity to serve the people, public servants should be humble, live a modest life, and never steal the taxpayers’ money.

There are public servants who are arrogant and onion-skinned. Indi mo ma-criticize sa media. 

As a community journalist since after the EDSA Revolution, I knew a lot of them in the local and national offices. 

In fact, I have crossed the paths of some of them and they proved to be menacing but unreasonable and irrational, to say the least.

If they won’t threaten to harm us physically, they will sue us for libel. We know that it’s only a form of harassment, a plain and simple act of intimidation in order to silence us or avenge their “hurt” and “embarrassment.” 

They are aware that a libel case against a journalist will never hit a home run. 

Freedom of the press and expression remains to be the solid bedrock of democracy.

These overbearing type of public officials who run after those who criticize them only want to show who’s the boss. 

Others live—and want to be treated—like kings and queens.

And many of them are thieves; they take advantage of their positions and influence to enrich themselves while in office.

They didn’t know or they probably forgot that in every penny they steal there is a repercussion; everything on this material world is governed by the Karmic Law. 

We reap what we sow. What comes up must come down.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

.

They didn’t believe Syjuco was ill until he died

“We must bring the issue of mental illness out into the sunlight, out of the shadow, out of the closet, deal with it, treat people, have centers where people can get the necessary help.”

—John Lewis

By Alex P. Vidal

ONLY the death recently of controversial former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general Augusto “Buboy” Syjuco Jr could convince his critics he had been suffering from leukemia and was “slowly dying.”

Some of his political enemies thought Syjuco and his wife, former Iloilo second districrt Rep. Judy, “were only using his sickness story” in order to wiggle out from the graft and corruption charges they were facing in the Sandiganbayan.

They suspected the couple was “dangling” Syjuco’s illness to appeal to people’s emotions and create an impression he wasn’t fit for a trial.  

When Syjuco lost the support of many Ilonggo political leaders following the fading away of former President Gloria Arroyo’s magic, he stayed most of the time in Metro Manila and focused on how to clear his name after being slapped with graft cases.

He supported President Rodrigo Duterte during the presidential campaign and filed graft cases against former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Senator Franklin Drilon in order to be noticed in the media.

Very few people gave him attention and this reportedly bothered him a lot as he used to bask in glory and prominence when he was the TESDA boss and when he and ex-Rep. Judy were lording over the politics in the second district of Iloilo under the Arroyo administration.

-o0o-

Almost a year ago, the anti-graft body’ Third Division approved the Syjuco couple’s motion dated January 18, telling the Sandiganbayan they intended to return to Singapore from February 7 to 22 for Syjuco’s chemotherapy treatment to prevent him from succumbing to leukemia.

Syjuco needed only a short stay in Singapore, they argued, as he was taking a medicine called Azacitidine, which was not yet available in the Philippines.

Since the new medicine would be administered on Syjuco, their lawyers appealed for an extension of their trip until February 22.

Once the most popular political couple in Iloilo, the Syjucos faced various cases in the Sandiganbayan over their alleged anomalous use of public funds. 

These were on the alleged anomalous awarding of TESDA scholarships, purchase of more than 1,500 cellphone units, and the supposed implementation of a district-wide poultry project.

-o0o-

Syjuco and former Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas regional director Eduardo Lecciones were convicted by the Sandiganbayan of “fraud against public treasury” in relation to a P4.3-million cash grant following their guilty pleas last year.

They were also found guilty of "failure of an accountable officer to render account;" and having a "prohibited pecuniary interest in a transaction involving their office." Broken down, that's P10,000 for the first offense; P1,000 for the second offense; and P6,000 for the last one.

Syjuco and Lecciones were ordered to pay P17,000 each, a penalty called as “a slap in the wrist” by the former TESDA boss’ political opponents.

Syjuco, who was then representative of Iloilo second district, favored his own non-governmental organization as a conduit in a cash grant that was approved by the DA through Lecciones, in 2000. 

The two pleaded guilty instead of waiting for the trial of graft and malversation cases lodged against them.

As to his other cases, they are expected to “die” naturally following Syjuco’s demise.

Rest in peace, Secretary Syjuco.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)