Zialcita defined

Parañaque Rep. Eduardo C. Zialcita has been on the negative side of the news lately on account of his alleged receipt of money from Legacy Group founder Celso De Los Angeles. His alleged involvement was revealed during a Senate committee hearing when the chief finance officer of Legacy Consolidated Plans testified that she had received instructions to disburse money to the congressman as consultancy fee. One of the biggest banks in the Legacy Group, Rural Bank of Parañaque, operates in the congressman’s district. An incredulous Zialcita quickly denied any involvement “in any capacity, official or unofficial, with the companies of the Legacy group,” and that he has “never been a consultant to them.”

The House of Representatives has come to the support of a beleaguered colleague. The chairman of the House committee on ethics has been reported as saying that the congressmen’s hands were “tied” without a formal complaint against the Parañaque representative. Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, committee chairman, said there are four instances before the House could investigate Zialcita, and these are: an official order from the plenary to conduct a probe, an order from Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr., a formal resolution of any lawmaker to be referred to the ethics committee, and a complaint by a private citizen.  “Our hands are tied unless one of these four instances is met,” said Madrona.

Speaker Nograles said there was no need to hold an ethics probe of Zialcita. In a text message, he said he had advised Zialcita “to make him personally available in case the House committee wants to hear his side.”

Nograles was asked if Zialcita must face the ethics committee. His reply: “Why ethics? Who is the complainant, who is complaining against him?”

I would not call this case trial by publicity, with the media being blamed for reporting on Zialcita’s involvement. The media was only reporting what had been reported during a Senate hearing.

The issue here, it appears, is the crucifixion of Zialcita, who has said, “The alleged use of my name on the records of the Legacy Group is appalling, and constitutes an insult of the highest order. It may be that my name was being used by this Group for its own purposes, as a foil against other high-profile personalities.”

The congressman has acknowledged that Celso Delos Angeles and the Legacy Group had supported his public service programs in Parañaque, including free coffins, free burial services, feeding programs, free construction materials (for fire victims and evicted squatters), free medical (services) and tuition (fees for students).

But he was “never asked by Delos Angeles and his group for any favors in return. Nor did I offer, or give any,” Zialcita said.

A friend of the congressman told newsmen that “any fault can be attributed to Zialcita; it may be that he was too trusting of the people he met, so much so that he may not have done due diligence on Legacy before accepting its donations. But can politicians be expected to do background checks on the companies that donate to them?”

A friend of this columnist says he feels bad about his friend Zialcita’s being treated badly. He requests that the good things about the man be relayed to the public.

Zialcita was born in Manila in 1950, raised by parents Dr. Benjamin Zialcita and the former Cristina Castro, “with a keen sense of nationalism in mind.” The doctor is a direct descendant of Don Agapito Zialcita, one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence in 1896.

Eduardo, or EDZA, capped his grade school years as San Sebastian College’s valedictorian in 1962. He was always class president, assumed the role of Manila Boy Mayor in 1966, and graduated as SSC’s high school salutatorian in 1967. He took up mass communication at the University of the Philippines where he was a champion debater and orator. He then finished his masters in business administration at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and pursued his education as a government scholar in Georgetown University in the US. He completed his doctorate at the International Academy of Management and Economics. UP and SSC, later bestowed him with the Most Outstanding Alumnus Award.

EDZA, my friend tells me, was easily an efficient leader of various civic, political and religious organizations, from private firms in the real estate industry, to presidential appointive posts like general manager/chairman of the Public Estates Authority, deputy minister of the Ministry of Information, director of RPN-9 under President Corazon C. Aquino, and of PAG-IBIG Fund, and Presidential Management Staff under President Fidel V. Ramos.

EDZA was elected Parañaque representative to the 12th Congress. For his outstanding performance, he was voted the Outstanding Neophyte Legislator in August 2002. In 2004, he was re-elected the city’s first district representatives. Because of his continued outstanding performance in the House, he was voted Outstanding Legislator by the Consumers Union of the Philippines in August 2004. His 15 programs for his constituents included health care services, livelihood, education, youth development, senior citizens, people with disability, and children’s welfare. He is proud about his awarding thousands of certificates of titles under the CMP.

During his two terms in Congress, he authored more than 200 bills. One of these became law, with the enactment of the expanded senior Citizens Act of 2004 (RA 9257), or the Magna Carta for Older Persons, which provided more benefits and privileges to senior citizens.

EDZA authored the congressional inquiry into each and every public debt, and as chair of the Committee on Housing and Urban Development, he authored the Omnibus Housing and Urban Development Act which calls for the creation of a unified, cabinet-ranked body which will prioritize urban planning, development and renewal, land use and zoning, housing, and financing.

He also authored several bills such as the Anti-Red Tape Bill, an act to reduce bureaucratic red tape by providing a maximum of 10 working days period for every government transaction and limiting signatories to only five officials; and an act enabling retirees who have received pension either by choice or operation of law to receive pension at the age of 70 years.

Rallying behind him are his wife, the former Claudine de Castro, and children Paul, Carla, Nicole and Tanya. He plays golf, teeing off with an 18 handicap on the greens, pounds away with the skins and other percussion instruments, and is an able dancer and singer, who has produced his own CD entitled, “EDZA KANTA.”

So, that’s the profile of the real Eduardo Zialcita who does not deserve a crown of thorns.

*      *      *

My e-mail: [email protected]