Believing a plunderer-turned-whistleblower...

“They can examine my bank account, my credit card records etcetera,” Cimatu said, adding that he was willing to waive his rights under bank secrecy and other statutes—and more. “They can go to my house, the only one that I and my wife own, and search room to room for evidence of ill-gotten wealth.” Columnist Dan Mariano opines in his column; Cimatu's detractors need to present proof more persuasive than the say-so of a confessed plunderer-turned-whistleblower...

Believing the words of a plunderer-turned-whistleblower...

"I don't know about the other top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who have been linked to financial skullduggery, but retired Gen. Roy Cimatu does not seem like he was also a “thief of staff.”

Speaking at a media forum Saturday, Cimatu, who had served as AFP chief of staff for all of four months in 2002, declared that he would willingly bare all that he owns to probers—be they from the Congress, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Anti-Money Laundering Council or any other legitimate investigating agency.

“They can examine my bank account, my credit card records etcetera,” Cimatu said, adding that he was willing to waive his rights under bank secrecy and other statutes—and more. “They can go to my house, the only one that I and my wife own, and search room to room for evidence of ill-gotten wealth.”

He added: “They can contact my son, who is an architect and is now in Singapore as an [overseas Filipino worker (OFW)], and find out for themselves that whatever assets my family and I have we earned by the sweat of our brow.”

After retiring from the AFP, Cimatu, the son of public school teachers from Bangui, Ilocos Norte, continued to serve the Republic as a diplomatic troubleshooter that took him to hazardous locations overseas, including Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, finding solutions to the problems facing OFWs in distress.

Cimatu, who carries the title of Special Presidential Envoy and chairs the Presidential Preparedness Team to the Middle East, claimed that he had no knowledge of the P80-million pabaon or send-off money, which former AFP budget officer George Rabusa—a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy who only got as high as the rank of lieutenant colonel—said Cimatu received.

Rabusa has made similar accusations against other AFP chiefs. Before congressional probers, he testified that he personally handed the equivalent of P50 million to Angelo Reyes upon his retirement.

As for Cimatu and Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, Rabusa said he was ordered by former AFP comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia to “produce” the pabaon funds—but has no personal knowledge if the money was actually turned over to the two generals.

At the media forum Saturday, Cimatu said: “I categorically deny that I received any funds from anybody in the AFP for my personal use or aggrandizement.”

Cimatu is one of a handful of Arroyo administration officials that President Benigno S. Aquino 3rd opted to retain—and there must have very good reasons for that.

Not once has Cimatu led efforts to bring OFWs out of harm’s way. While in uniform, he earned numerous medals and citations as symbols of the nation’s appreciation for valorous service and distinguished leadership.

Had Cimatu been a “thief of staff,” his detractors need to present proof more persuasive than the say-so of a confessed plunderer-turned-whistleblower."