Don’t exploit Sec. Jun Yasay’s name

“Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.”
—George Eliot

By Alex P. Vidal

NOW that former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Perfecto “Jun” Yasay Jr. has died at the age of 73 as confirmed by his wife, Cecile, during the 122nd Philippine Independence Day on June 12, many people were now coming out in the open and calling him as “friend”, saying “he was a big loss”, etcetera.
These eager-beaver stunts exploited Atty. Yasay’s name and rode on his popularity now that the nation mourned his passing.
“Rest in peace, my friend…”, “he was my good friend…”, “my friend Jun Yasay and I were together during…”, “he was a true statesman…,” etcetera.
Except for his family, true friends and associates who really loved and cared for the great former chair of the board of the Central Philippine University (CPU), some of these so-called “friends” actually didn’t really love him.
They wouldn’t and didn’t give a damn when he was down, or when he ran out of luck as DFA secretary on March 8, 2017; and when he was arrested on August 21, 2019 in connection with a long-running bank fraud case.
In those twin setbacks of his checkered career as a national leader, some of these “friends” turned their backs from Secretary Yasay.

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In those dark moments of his sterling life as a public servant and former finance executive, some of these “friends” suddenly became deaf and mute, nowhere to be found and “couldn’t be reached” like cell site dead spots.
It was not the noise of Atty. Yasay’s enemies that hurt him; it was the eerie silence of some of these “friends” who distanced themselves from the beleaguered Ilonggo leader.
He actually would not seek solace from them in his hour of sadness as he was a courageous and upright person, known for his brilliancy, calmness, and grace even in difficulties.
Atty. Yasay’s appointment was rejected by a unanimous vote of 15–0 by the Commission on Appointments (CA) due to questions about his Philippine citizenship status after a period of United States citizenship on March 8, 2017 
When Atty. Yasay departed from the Duterte cabinet after his CA rejection, Philippine banking regulator pursued the criminal charges it had earlier filed in 2011 against him and nine others for “repeatedly violating” the banking laws.
In a 2011 news release posted on its website, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said that directors and senior officers of the Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgages Bank “approved an excessive number of weak and self-serving loans to its directors, officers, stockholders and related interests (DOSRI loans), equivalent to 2.192 billion pesos or 53.5 per cent of total loans”.

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President Rodrigo Roa Duterte nevertheless appointed Atty. Yasya as the first DFA secretary despite being implicated in criminal charges filed before the Department of Justice by the BSP in 2011.
In her Facebook post, Mrs. Yasay described the good former DFA chief as, “My husband, my partner, my best friend – (who) left us today (June 12) at 7:26 a.m.”
She added: “Jun Yasay, you are loved. We will miss you lots.” 
Her husband, who had also served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), died of pneumonia “due to the recurrence of his cancer,” not novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Jun Yasay has donned the garment of immortality,” the text said. More important it makes him finally impervious to pain,” current Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin posted on his Twitter.
Secretary Locsin credited Atty Yasay for having played a role in him getting a job in the United Nations before Locsin bagged the DFA top post.
Secretary Locsin said: “He recommended me for my UN job. He hurt no one and helped everyone he could. He did what many fighting tyranny had to: shield themselves with US law.”
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

A real embarrassment

“An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so.” 

--Mahatma Gandhi

By Alex P. Vidal

NOT all those arrested by the police and paraded for a mug shot should be ashamed for the rest of their life.
A person can be arrested for murder he committed by protecting his family or for self defense. 
He may be worried for his safety, but may not feel any shame for what he did.
A newsman can be arrested for libel after exposing the truth about graft and corruption and abused of authority and power committed by government, police, and military officials.
He may feel inconvenience, but he may not be ashamed even if manacled and locked behind bars.
A person can be arrested for sedition or rebellion because of his political views; and he may be tormented by the thought of having to spend a long jail term, but, history shows none of those accused of such offense ever showed signs of shame when presented in public.
But if a person is arrested for estafa or any wrongdoing related to financial matters and dishonesty, he will always feel an iota of shame in one way or the other.
Being arrested, however, does not necessarily mean a person is guilty of committing a crime.
The arrest is only a procedure in a criminal case where the accused is presented in court for proper disposition of his case; and the judge will determine whether he can post a bail.

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Which brought us to the case of former foreign affairs secretary Perfecto “Jun” Yasay Jr., who was arrested by the Manila Police District (MPD) cops on Thursday afternoon, August 22.
The former chairman of the Central Philippine University (CPU) in Jaro, Iloilo City was ordered arrested on March 8 by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 8 for "several violations" of the New Central Bank Act in relation to a case filed against him by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The Ilonggo former candidate for senator and vice president immediately questioned “this abuse of process and travesty of justice" in a Facebook post.
The arrest shocked those who knew Yasay as a public servant and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); he had a sterling record in public service and almost immaculate prior to the report of his arrest.
He is, of course, presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Many of his admirers, especially his fellow Ilonggos, believe he can wiggle out from this trouble. They believe in his innocence.
But the arrest definitely was a real embarrassment for Yasay, his family and supporters since he, along with 5 "associates," police said, were accused of "conspiring and aiding each other" in securing a P350-million loan from the shuttered Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank while they were officers from 2001 to 2009.

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The loan was allegedly accommodated for a certain company called Tierrasud Incorporated, which is owned by Tropical Land Corporation.
The report said: "When the loan was granted, all accused failed to report such loan accommodation to the supervision of BSP, and despite of report of examination addressed to all accused instructing them to rectify such violation, failed to do the same.”
The BSP filed the charges against Yasay and 9 other Banco Filipino officials on April 4, 2011. Yasay was then director of Banco Filipino.
The BSP said Yasay and the other Banco Filipino officials "repeatedly violated several laws" for the following: Willful refusal to stop the conduct of unsafe, hazardous, and unsound banking practices; Falsification and issuance of false statements to hide the true financial condition of the bank; Willful refusal to file audited financial statements; Willful refusal to report DOSRI (directors, officers, stockholders, and other related interest) loans; Twenty-six counts of willful refusal to comply with numerous banking laws and BSP directives
The BSP pointed out that Banco Filipino "engaged in hazardous lending and lax collection policies and practices."
Let’s hope Chairman Yasay can emerge from this scandal ten feet tall. He is one of the only few remaining outstanding Ilonggo icons in national politics.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)