Ombudsman Samuel Martires. (File photo)
MANILA – Various groups on Friday gathered in Quezon City to oppose the Office of the Ombudsman's call to abolish the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), the government agency tasked to implement initiatives to improve doing business in the country and eliminate red tape.
In an interview at the amphitheater of the Quezon City Memorial Circle, Eduardo Bringas, chairman of Alay-Pag-asa Christian Foundation, said the groups have banded together to form the "Riders of Christ N Rule of Law" (RoC & RoL) movement to back Republic Act (RA) 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, which created the ARTA in 2018.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires had earlier appealed to senators to abolish the ARTA, saying there are more effective measures that would repel corruption and that RA 11032 has overlapped with the functions of other agencies in determining the causes of inefficiency in government.
However, Bishop Reuben Abante, DD of the Legal Aid Ministers and Partners, said during the gathering in QC that the Office of the Ombudsman and the ARTA can co-exist.
“As I observed, parang hindi niya (Ombudsman Martires) naa-appreciate ang presence ng ARTA in that para bang sinasaklaw ng ARTA yung kanilang mandato (the Ombudsman does not seem to appreciate the presence of ARTA in that the ARTA seems to overlap their mandate). I don’t think so. Tumutulong yan kasi ang ARTA ang nasa grass roots. Sila ang nakakaintindi kung anong dapat nyang gawin para mas mapabilis ang proseso (The ARTA helps in the grassroots-level. They know what should be done to expedite the process),” Abante added.
Meanwhile, Ariel Inton, founder of the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection, said, "If there are those calling to declare unconstitutional the ‘Ease of Doing Business Act', we are not joining it. We see that the ARTA is an important agency of the government... The ARTA investigates if there is really red tape in the government. The fixers are increasing in number.”
Other members of the movement backing the ARTA are retired Gen. Fernando Pace, national president of the Law Enforcement Riders Association of the Philippines; Prof. Gerald Abergos, spokesperson of the Law Enforcement Riders Association of the Philippines; former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chairman Fortunato Guerrero; actor Bembol Roco; Nestor Tan, president of the Federation of Independent Textile Millers, Inc.; Transport Network Vehicle System (TNVS) members and riding community; and Delfin Bibbat, director of the Garment Business Association of the Philippines.
The supporters also earlier held a motorcade from the Quezon City Memorial Circle to Kalayaan Avenue and V. Luna and then to East Avenue and back to the Quezon City Memorial Circle. (PNA)
