Alecha and Tapitan had enough and after researching the issue and doing the sums knew that the figures did not add up. They felt cheated. They consulted church goers and concerned citizens and took action. They filed a civil case with the Regional Trial Court to get back the stolen money. They tried to get the evidence from both the Bureau of Budget Management and the Office of the Commission on Audit. They met obstacles all the way. Indeed that Midsalip seemed to get away with the loot, other towns in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay quickly followed suit. The civil case continues at a snails pace in the RTC court in Aurora. Criminal cases met with dismissal in the Office of the Ombudsman of Mindanao; these are now before the Supreme Court of the Philippines for resolution. Of course the politicians are doing their best to have all the cases quashed.
The local bishop shows his support for his people by attending the RTC Court hearings.
You can help them to achieve justice this Christmas or in the New Year by writing to the Philippine Ambassador in London, or wherever you are, to show your contempt for corruption and ensure that the children of Zamboanga del Sur get what they deserve, a decent health and education service, decent roads and a clean government.

Write to,
His Excellency,
The Philippine Ambassador,
Edgardo B. Espiritu,
The Philippine Embassy,
9-a Palace Green,
London W8 4QE.

For other Philippine Embassies see http://www.dfa.gov.ph/posts/pemb.htm

The Ambassador to the Court of St James, Mr. Edgardo Espiritu, cares about the blatant corruption in his country. Your letter can help him bring the issue of Midsalip to the ears of the Philippine government in Manila, something that the people of Midsalip have being trying to do for years but to little or no avail. You can help to make the government in Manila listen to their cries for justice. Send a Christmas card or a New Year card. Fight corruption so that the poor may have justice this Christmas or at least in 2006.

You can write to the Philippine President directly too,
http://www.gov.ph/

Her Excellency
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Malacañang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel,
Manila NCR 1005
+63 (2) 735 6201 / (2) 564 1451 to 80

http://www.op.gov.ph

The Specific case of Midsalip where I worked in the late 1980's has taken legal proceedings against the local municipal government for misappropriation of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) it receives from the central government on a yearly basis. There are two cases; a civil action to have monies returned to the municipal Treasury and a criminal case which was filed but dismissed by the Ombudsman, the latter is pending a Supreme Court decision. A former Chief