SPIRITUALITY OF SPIRITUALITY OF WHISTLE BLOWINGWHISTLE BLOWING

Initial ReflectionsInitial Reflections

Albert E. Alejo, SJAlbert E. Alejo, SJEhem!Ehem! Jesuit Anticorruption ProgramJesuit Anticorruption Program

“Why be honest, when it pays to be dishonest? Why “Why be honest, when it pays to be dishonest? Why fight for others, when they won’t fight for you? fight for others, when they won’t fight for you? ------or or even for themselves?…the answer I think lies in what even for themselves?…the answer I think lies in what life means to you. If life means having a good time, life means to you. If life means having a good time, money, fame, power, securitymoney, fame, power, security------then you don’t need then you don’t need principles, all you need are techniques. On the other principles, all you need are techniques. On the other hand, if happiness counts more than a good time, hand, if happiness counts more than a good time, respect more than fame, right more than power and respect more than fame, right more than power and peace of soul more than security; if death doesn’t end peace of soul more than security; if death doesn’t end life but transforms it, then you must be true to yourself life but transforms it, then you must be true to yourself and to God and to love the truth and justice and and to God and to love the truth and justice and freedom that are God’s other names.” freedom that are God’s other names.”

------Sen. Jose Sen. Jose DioknoDiokno

Ehem! Aha! Ehem! Aha! TechinicalTechinical Working Group, Working Group, Whistleblower Focused Group Whistleblower Focused Group Discussions (Discussions (FGDsFGDs) )

“The personal preparations call the whistleblower to “The personal preparations call the whistleblower to assess his or her intentions for blowing the whistle. The assess his or her intentions for blowing the whistle. The whistleblower also needs to carefully weigh risks and whistleblower also needs to carefully weigh risks and consequences of consequences of whistleblowingwhistleblowing, and compare the , and compare the advantages against its disadvantages. These personal advantages against its disadvantages. These personal preparations allow the whistleblower to think many preparations allow the whistleblower to think many times if he or she is intent to pursue his or her case. times if he or she is intent to pursue his or her case. The The FGDsFGDs interestingly reveal that for it is most helpful interestingly reveal that for it is most helpful if whistleblowers secure personal insurance or eternal if whistleblowers secure personal insurance or eternal life planslife plans------for obvious reasons. And most importantly, for obvious reasons. And most importantly, it is important for the whistleblower to prepare it is important for the whistleblower to prepare spiritually and seek guidance for discernment.”spiritually and seek guidance for discernment.”

“…the participants identified the requirements to “…the participants identified the requirements to become a whistleblower. One needs to have become a whistleblower. One needs to have strong moral values and courage to be a strong moral values and courage to be a whistleblower. This is emphasizing the whistleblower. This is emphasizing the perception that good moral character makes a perception that good moral character makes a good whistleblower. Meanwhile, selfgood whistleblower. Meanwhile, self--serving serving motives, personal interest and aggrandizement motives, personal interest and aggrandizement make a bad whistleblower.” make a bad whistleblower.”

What is What is whistleblowingwhistleblowing and and why is it very sensitive? why is it very sensitive?

1.1. Dissent: “Dissent: “nanggugulonanggugulo”; ”; ““nagmamalinisnagmamalinis””

2.2. Breach of loyalty: “Breach of loyalty: “walangwalangpakisamapakisama”; “”; “walangwalang utangutang nana loobloob””

3.3. Accusation: “Accusation: “walangwalang ebidensiyaebidensiya””

What has spirituality got to What has spirituality got to do with do with whistleblowingwhistleblowing??

The State certainly has to promulgate laws The State certainly has to promulgate laws protect society and individuals from “fake” protect society and individuals from “fake” whistleblowers. The State, however, must also whistleblowers. The State, however, must also protect the authentic ones. At the end of the protect the authentic ones. At the end of the day, however, the whistleblower really has to day, however, the whistleblower really has to have more secure foundation than the State. have more secure foundation than the State. She has confront herself, her coShe has confront herself, her co--workers, her workers, her loved ones and her God, and determine loved ones and her God, and determine whether she can really commit herself to this whether she can really commit herself to this mission of correcting a crime and seeking mission of correcting a crime and seeking justice. It is here that spirituality comes in. justice. It is here that spirituality comes in.

Spirituality…Spirituality…

Spirituality is not standard piety or prayer. Spirituality is not standard piety or prayer. Spirituality has something to do with the spirit, Spirituality has something to do with the spirit, with what gives you life, and what gives with what gives you life, and what gives meaning to your life. Spirituality, therefore, is meaning to your life. Spirituality, therefore, is the fountain of values, of one’s principles, of the fountain of values, of one’s principles, of one’s relationship with somethingone’s relationship with something------or or SomeoneSomeone------that goes beyond the narrowness that goes beyond the narrowness of selfof self--interest. The opposite of spirituality is interest. The opposite of spirituality is not materialism, but lifelessness, fear of the not materialism, but lifelessness, fear of the truth, lack of energy to pursue what is just, truth, lack of energy to pursue what is just, wasted life. wasted life.

Spirituality…Spirituality…

Spirituality is usually accompanied by inner joy Spirituality is usually accompanied by inner joy and freedom that comes from living in the light and freedom that comes from living in the light of truth, not in cowardice; in the capacity to of truth, not in cowardice; in the capacity to sacrifice, not in insistence of selfishness. sacrifice, not in insistence of selfishness. Spirituality, applied to integrity in public service, Spirituality, applied to integrity in public service, draws out the noble in the human person. draws out the noble in the human person. Those who have experienced this kind of love Those who have experienced this kind of love would recognize that this is at the heart of would recognize that this is at the heart of being humanbeing human------dangaldangal ngng pagpapakataopagpapakatao at at pakikipagkapwapakikipagkapwa--taotao. . We know its opposite: We know its opposite: walangwalang dangaldangal, , walangwalang kapwakapwa--taotao..

Is it really necessary that Is it really necessary that the whistleblower be morally the whistleblower be morally upright?upright?

The ideal case of whistle blowingThe ideal case of whistle blowing------where where the cause is a just one, where the less the cause is a just one, where the less dramatic alternatives have been dramatic alternatives have been exhausted, where responsibility is openly exhausted, where responsibility is openly accepted, and where the whistleblower is accepted, and where the whistleblower is above reproachabove reproach------is rare. The motive may is rare. The motive may be partly selfbe partly self--serving, the method serving, the method questionable, and still we may judge that questionable, and still we may judge that the act was in the public interest. the act was in the public interest.

Whistleblowing: right and Whistleblowing: right and wrongwrong

On the one hand, society must protect individuals and On the one hand, society must protect individuals and offices from malicious accusations that have no offices from malicious accusations that have no bearing on reality and may just be a product of selfish bearing on reality and may just be a product of selfish interest. The damage brought about by such false interest. The damage brought about by such false accusations, erroneous publicity, and invasion of accusations, erroneous publicity, and invasion of privacy is not easy to measure, especially if you privacy is not easy to measure, especially if you consider the effects on the loved ones of those unjustly consider the effects on the loved ones of those unjustly tried by publicity. On the other hand, neither should tried by publicity. On the other hand, neither should Society deprive the citizens of their right to speak out Society deprive the citizens of their right to speak out when they see some anomalies being committed right when they see some anomalies being committed right within their scope of work and vision. within their scope of work and vision.

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

As duty and love of countryAs duty and love of country

““NgayongNgayong nasanasa panganibpanganib angang buhaybuhay koko, , kahitkahit maliitmaliit angang suweldosuweldo, , masmas damangdamang--damadama kongkong mahalmahal koko palapala angang bayanbayan koko.” .”

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

an act of hopean act of hope

““KayaKaya nganga akoako nagsusumbongnagsusumbong, , dahildahil kahitkahitpapaanopapaano, , umaasaumaasa pa pa rinrin akoako nana may may katarungankatarungan pa pa rinrin sa sa atingating sistemasistema at at may may natitiranatitira pa ring pa ring mabubutingmabubuting kapwakapwa--taotao.”.”

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

Act of charityAct of charity

“Kung “Kung parapara sa sa sarilisarili koko langlang, eh , eh bakitbakit pa pa akoako papasokpapasok sa sa gulogulo? ? PagmamalasakitPagmamalasakitsa sa nakararaminakararami, , doondoon akoako dinadaladinadala ngngginagawaginagawa koko.”.”

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

An act of faithAn act of faith

““KumakapitKumakapit nana langlang akoako sa sa pananampalatayapananampalataya koko sa sa DiyosDiyos nananakakakitanakakakita ngng lahatlahat.”.”

Whistleblowing as…Whistleblowing as…

An expression of one’s deep love of familyAn expression of one’s deep love of family

““GinagawaGinagawa koko itoito dahildahil sa sa pagmamahalpagmamahal kokosa sa akingaking mgamga anakanak, , kahitkahit apektadoapektado silasilasa sa nangyayarinangyayari. . SanaSana balangbalang arawaraw, , maintindihanmaintindihan din din nilanila akoako.”.”

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

An act of conversionAn act of conversion

““InaaminInaamin koko namannaman nana hindihindi rinrin akoakomalinismalinis. . PeroPero kasamakasama nana itoito sa sa akingakingpagbabagongpagbabagong--loobloob at at pagbabangongpagbabangong--dangaldangal.”.”

whistleblowingwhistleblowing as…as…

Dedication to truthDedication to truth

““AngAng sinasabisinasabi koko langlang namannaman ay ay yungyungtotoototoo. . MasamaMasama baba namangnamang sabihinsabihin ang ang katotohanankatotohanan? ? MahirapMahirap mabuhaymabuhay sa sa dayadaya.”.”

INTEGRITY IN POPULAR INTEGRITY IN POPULAR SPIRITUALITY SPIRITUALITY

NgunitNgunit yaongyaong sisi LonginosLonginoskapitankapitan, , timtimangtimtimang loobloobmuntimunti ma'yma'y didi malamuyotmalamuyotsa sa pangako'tpangako't mgamga handoghandogniyongniyong mgamga pariseospariseos..

AnoAno pa pa tinalikdan tinalikdan angang layawlayaw sa sa kalupaankalupaannagbagonagbago nana nganga nangnang asalasal, , kumilalakumilala nangnang matibaymatibaysa sa DiyosDiyos nana PoongPoong MahalMahal

KayaKaya nga'tnga't angang isinagotisinagotsa sa mgamga hunghanghunghang nana loobloobaniya'yaniya'y kahitkahit malagotmalagothiningahininga koko ma'yma'y mataposmataposay ay akingaking ipababantogipababantog..

AkingAking pamamalitaanpamamalitaanmgamga taongtaong karamihankaramihanditodito sa sa loobloob ngng bayanbayannangnang totoongtotoong pagkabuhaypagkabuhaynangnang inyonginyong pinarusahanpinarusahan..

NangNang ito'yito'y maipagturingmaipagturingnini LonginongLonginong masintahinmasintahindoo'ydoo'y may may isangisang taksiltaksil,,agadagad inutosinutos nana tambingtambingnana taglaytaglay niyangniyang patalimpatalim

Alipala'yAlipala'y pinugutanpinugutanitongitong bayaningbayaning kapitankapitanyaonyaon nana siyangsiyang hangganhangganat at totoongtotoong pagpataypagpataynini LonginosLonginos nana matapangmatapang..