[ad_1]
President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate allegations of corruption in all government agencies, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In a recorded speech that aired Tuesday, the president said he issued a memorandum directing the Justice Department to investigate corruption “throughout the government.”
“In compliance with this directive, the Department of Justice will have the authority to decide which allegation to investigate taking into account the seriousness of the allegation and its impact on the provision of government service,” Duterte said, citing the memorandum.
The Department of Justice may create as many panels as it deems necessary and may invite or direct other government agencies and agencies to assist or be part of these panels.
It will present the corresponding complaints against all those involved in the anomalies, be they public officials or individuals.
Duterte’s directive is in effect until June 30, 2022 or until he leaves office, unless revoked earlier.
The president said the DoJ’s next focus would be corruption at the DPWH.
“This time we will analyze all departments, except at my request, [we will] focus on corruption at DPWH (focus on corruption at DPWH), ”he said.
Amazing
The president’s directive led the Secretary of Justice, Menardo Guevarra, to urge informants and whistleblowers to come out and fight corruption in the government.
Guevarra thanked Duterte for the “incredible” assignment.
“Aside from my usual responsibilities as SoJ (Attorney General), this new assignment is the most amazing I have received from the President. I will need the full support and cooperation of the entire government machinery to achieve this singular goal of substantially reducing corruption in government, ”said Guevarra.
The Chief Justice admitted that he cannot finish the task alone “considering the breadth of this anti-corruption campaign.”
He said that “he will immediately concentrate on the organizational structure and the mechanism that the president’s directive will carry out until the end of his term, as well as on the order of priorities.”
“It would help us a lot if government workers themselves and the people they deal with would come forward and provide us with the information we need to uncover corrupt activity and identify the perpetrators. the new and expanded anti-corruption working group will start from there, ”said Guevarra.
No Villar
However, the president again defended DPWH secretary Mark Villar, saying he was not involved in anomalies.
“Let me say here and now that I have nothing against Secretary Villar. He is one of those who works hard in maraming the achievements of Secretary Villar (and has many achievements), ”he said.
Duterte said he would focus on rooting out government corruption in his remaining years in office.
“Ang focus ko ngayon, the Office of the President itself, will be against corruption (the focus of the Office of the President now is to crack down on corruption),” he said.
“Hindi po ako naniniwala na wala akong magawa. May magawa ako. Hindi naman siguro to eradicate corruption in its entirety (I don’t think I can do nothing about it. I can do something. Maybe not to eradicate corruption in its entirety). But I think, kami, members of the cabinet, in our dedication, we would present a very strong position against corruption, we would have a very strong position against corruption, ”he said.
He promised to suspend more officials involved in the theft of public funds.
“If I fail you I have doubts. I will not suspend innocent people (if I suspend you, I have doubts. I will not suspend innocent people) “, he added.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the administration hopes other agencies such as the
The National Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Civil Service Commission and the Audit Commission will join the working group that will create the DoJ.
“The President emphasizes that in the remaining two years of his term, he will give top priority to the fight against corruption. The number of prosecutors we have under the Department of Justice is probably 20 times more than the attorneys they have in the Office of the Ombudsman, ”said Roque.
[ad_2]
