Intel units tapped for lifestyle check

"Big Brother" will be watching you.

This appeared to be the signal of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) as it sought the assistance of the government’s intelligence services in its long-expected lifestyle check on public officials.

PAGC Commissioner Teresita Baltazar said the details of the intelligence link-up will likely be taken up during a seminar workshop today involving government agencies and non-government organizations.

"We will certainly (seek the help of intelligence agencies) but we still have to clarify its specific role in the investigation which would be determined in the workshop," Baltazar said.

"This workshop will make us know the components of operationalizing this lifestyle check," she added.

Baltazar revealed the PAGC is already informally coordinating with the Ombudsman regarding the lifestyle check and this linkage would likely be formalized in a meeting of the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council (IAGC) tomorrow.

Baltazar explained that the PAGC is still wrapping up preparations for the actual lifestyle check which will start by March.

"We are very optimistic on this (lifestyle check). Even if we achieve small victories, just to break the barrier of cynicism and make people believe that it can be done," Baltazar said.

She also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the PAGC budget, which the President recently doubled, so it could hire more people to expedite the lifestyle check.

Baltazar said the PAGC will launch after today’s workshop a campaign to educate citizens on how to spot corruption and what evidence would be required to report a corrupt act through a hot line that would later be established by the agency.