“It took a courageous former police general, now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, to blow wide open the long-festering ‘ninja cops’ schemes on recycling seized illegal drugs and in the process Magalong’s persistence, bravery and integrity has given the PNP a new chance at reform,” said Agusan del Norte (1st District) Rep. Lawrence Fortun.
He noted, however, that those allegedly involved should be afforded their right to presumption of innocence and due process.
Fortun lamented that the country still has no law protecting whistleblowers.
“If we had a whistleblower protection law today, there would be more willing witnesses spilling the beans about corruption and abuse not only in the PNP, but also other agencies of government,” Fortun said.
“The House has been trying since the 15th Congress to pass a whistleblower protection law. In this 18th Congress, my House Bill 2239 is one of at least seven whistleblower bills pending at the House committee on justice,” he said.
The minority congressman noted there were 17 whistleblower bills in the 17th Congress.
“To expose corruption within government, we need to assure whistleblowers that the faithful public servants will come to their aid and give them ample protection,” Fortun said.
HB 2239 grants absolute confidentiality and protection against retaliation and disciplinary action.
“Corruption is quite difficult to prove due to lack of sufficient evidence, but with a whistleblowers protection law, reliable and credible witnesses will have the resolve to come out and expose corruption, irregularities and anomalies in government, ” he also said.
