Whistleblower cites value of honesty among Church financial administrators

MANILA, June 15, 2011— Maintain honesty in government, business and even in the Church, and the country would be doing away with a lot of scandals.

This, according to whistleblower Heidi Mendoza in a speech Tuesday afternoon before Catholic Church’s financial administrators, is the moral force that could bring change in the country.

“We cannot dream of an honest government without doing anything. We need to do something,” said Mendoza, who was recently appointed as commissioner to the Commission on Audit.

The government official, who blew the whistle on the alleged corruption in the military, also asked the church workers to do a similar act in their workplaces.

One way of maintaining honesty, she said, “is constant dedication to your faith.”

“The only key is by being true to God,” she said. “If you have faith you don’t have to worry about many things that might come along your way.”

Mendoza was the guest speaker at the Archdiocesan/Diocesan Financial Administrators of the Philippines 13th National Convention currently being held at the Pius XII Center in Paco, Manila.

The yearly gathering which will end on Friday is focused on the theme, “Sustaining Opportunities towards Success.”

The convention has around 140 participants, mostly lay people, including some priests, nuns and bishops led by Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, treasurer of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Mendoza stressed it is difficult to hold money “especially if they are not yours” but “it’s not true that it’s hard to be honest even in times of need.”

“I’m not holy or religious but I’m always looking at God’s will,” she said. “Another way to (maintain honesty) is constant prayer.”

“I’m always proud that I am a Catholic. I’m always proud that I’m a Filipino. I’m always proud that I’m a public servant,” Mendoza added.

Mendoza worked for the COA for over 20 years and had been part of fraud audit investigations of government transactions.

She made headlines in February after her explosive testimony before Congress on the alleged misuse of military and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping funds.

Mendoza resigned from the COA in 2005 and had worked with the Asian Development Bank before appearing in the congressional probes. (CBCPNews)