Those who reached maturity after the 1960s should know, the Philippines' economic growth was second only to Japan's up to 1965 and ahead of Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. The latter countries' economic development was hastened by Vietnam War's escalation while the Philippines was left behind since then. Our economy began lagging when President Diosdado Macapagal lifted import and foreign-exchange controls in 1962 without thinking through the backlash our economy couldn't withstand. Then, with unabated corruption, cronyism and loss of freedom in the 20-year Marcos rule, our country became like a bus with increasing number of passengers (population) going downhill with the same old engine and faulty brakes.

The rebirth of democracy and rule of law under Cory Aquino revived business confidence at home and for foreign investors. Although Gringo Honasan's misadventures had some setbacks, Fidel Ramos was able to halt the economy's slide and afforded a thrust for take-off. But came Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who's worse than her father, who allowed corruption worse than ever which has accelerated the economy's slide. This is the sad situation our country is in today.

Fellow Filipinos and I organized Pamusa in our belief we can effectively address corruption with the U.N. Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and President Bush's International Initiative to Combat Kleptocracy. Pamusa's organizers, supporters and volunteers (who wish to remain anonymous) have labored and come up with a solution. I have summarized it into RP Corruption Manageable by 2010 in this web site, thanks to Bobby Reyes, and my column in ang Peryodiko this week.

The solution is in two parts. They are Pamusa's new governance and anticorruption (GAC) strategy to put illicit gains to good use in the proposed Philippine Recovery and Anticorruption Fund (PRAF) that would address the underlying causes of corruption and its other debilitating face of poverty.

Pamusa can rely now on FBI and USDOJ to prosecute in the U.S. corrupt current and former Filipino officials from Marcos time to Arroyo's administration including immediate family members and close associates, or individuals and businessmen that conspired with them to amass wealth from corruption. However, it's physically impossible for an NGO like Pamusa to gather evidence and bring all to account. What we're aiming for is set up some examples that would hang like a "sword of Damocles" over the heads of government and private sector officials, employees and workers and the general population to abhor corruption. And perhaps renew a mindset before WW II that anyone that engages corruption will surely go to jail when caught like in the U.S.

Please help disseminate here and in the Philippines the proposed solution and convince all concerned to step up and settle illicit assets acquired from corruption. No questions asked. Their peace of mind is assured especially for naturalized citizens they won't receive one day an FBI subpoena to account for unexplained assets that couldn't have come from lawful income.

The people that ignore this offering of settlement would be made examples that corruption is actionable under RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act that when found guilty can be fined up to $25,000 and/or sentenced to 20 years per racketeering count. Corruption is a series of bribery and fraud which entail $25,000 fine and/or 20 years jail sentence for every count.

Imagine how many years in jail Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and husband including children, nefariously corrupt Cabinet members and close associates, or businessmen that colluded with them are facing if found guilty of violating RICO!

Thank you and best regards.

Francisco Wenceslao

President

Philippine Anticorruption Movement USA, Inc.

14707 Longworth Ave., Norwalk, California, USA 90650-5669

Phones: 562-864-7737 & Cell 562-547-4357 / Fax: 213-607-2756

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