Press Release
May 14, 2009

Pia urges 'Balikatan mess' whistleblower to testify at Senate

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today said Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian, the navy junior officer who recently came in the open to accuse a navy general of pocketing a portion of the P46-million budget allotted for the US-RP Balikatan war exercises in 2007, has a right to be heard in a formal Senate inquiry.

"Protection should immediately be accorded to Lt. Gadian who, I understand, has expressed fears for her life following her expose of alleged corruption in the military with respect to the Balikatan funds. I urge her to come forward and tell what she knows to the Senate," said Cayetano, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice.

"The chamber should also consider taking her under its custody, especially in view of past experiences where whistleblowers like Jun Lozada, who expose dubious government transactions, instead become the subject of persecution and harassment by the government."

Gadian, who first made her revelations on radio, has accused Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo of pocketing part of the P46 million budget allotted for the Balikatan exercises in 2007. Cedo retired in late 2007.

She has been placed on floating status and made to face administrative trial for her supposed misappropriation of P2.3 million from the same Balikatan funds as then Westmincom assistant for civil operations.

"Contrary to some statements made, the Senate need not wait a formal report from Gadin before deciding to conduct an inquiry; the seriousness of the accusation merits it. This is not the first time we've heard of complaints of corruption in the armed forces."

"My concern is that, there seems to be a trend to gag or penalize whistleblowers. Our people must have recourse to the Senate at all times. We are their representatives. If, at it appears, Lt. Gadian is being penalized for "whistleblowing", more reason she should be given a chance to make her statement in the Senate"

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