MANILA, Philippines—While mourning the death of former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, lawmakers said his absence would be the missing piece in the investigation on massive corruption within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Representatives Roilo Golez of Paranaque and Rodolfo Farinas of Ilocos Norte expressed condolences to the family of Reyes, who was also former AFP chief of staff.
“We have yet to listen to his own tale, his own testimony because he kept quiet about it. Ngayon wala na, hindi na masasagot ‘yan, unless meron ibang evidence. Baka meron siyang anti-mortem statement (Now it’s gone. The questions cannot be answered unless there are other evidence. Maybe he has an anti-mortem statement), we don’t know,” Golez said.
Farinas said that congressional inquiries about corruption should have immediate resolution to ferret out the truth.
The justice committee of the House of Representatives resumed Tuesday morning in a somber mood amid the passing away of Reyes.
The committee is looking into the plea bargain agreement between state prosecutors and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, who is facing plunder changer for allegedly amassing some P300-million in AFP funds.
During the Senate investigation, former military budget office George Rabusa testified that he gave Reyes P50-million as “send-off” money for his retirement in 2001.
Reyes has yet to face both the Senate and the House inquiry.
Garcia said he was “shocked” with Reyes sudden demise.
source: Inquirer
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