Probe of 10 GMA appointees for unexplained wealth sought

The watchdog group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption asked the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) yesterday to investigate at least 10 of President Arroyo’s appointees who had allegedly accumulated unexplained wealth.

VACC founder Dante Jimenez said the co-workers, close associates and neighbors of these government officials provided the group with information on their extravagant lifestyles.

"We are monitoring them already. (They are) big and small fish(es). They have accounts abroad, big cars, mansions, luxury cars, business interests usually common to some government officials," he told reporters.

Jimenez refused to give further details so as not to derail the lifestyle check that will be conducted by the PAGC.

He said the VACC had looked into the statements of assets and liabilities of the 10 officials, which could be used as bases to start an investigation.

"Of course, the existing lifestyle as well. But you see, there are also other things we can’t divulge (as regards our strategy). What’s important is the result, the background check on (their) accumulated wealth," Jimenez said.

He and PAGC Chairwoman Constancia de Guzman said the information they obtained so far are reliable, classified by rank of importance as "A1, B and C."

De Guzman said the PAGC has started looking into the VACC’s allegations. She disclosed that three of the names submitted by the VACC had also been investigated by the PAGC.

"We will decide on the strategy or action plan we have to take, especially the investigators. On (VACC’s part), they’re starting to list down groups that will join them. There should be a process of accreditation," De Guzman said.

The PAGC signed an agreement with VACC, a civil society watchdog, to strengthen its anti-corruption campaign against government officials.

PAGC is the Office of the President’s anti-corruption arm and has been mandated to investigate complaints against presidential appointees. As of last year, PAGC was able to resolve 162 cases with punitive recommendations.

The VACC was recently lauded by the President for being one of the most credible anti-crime organizations in the country and instrumental in the speedy investigation, prosecution and trial of a number of high-profile and sensational criminal cases.

The watchdog group boasts of an impressive success rate of 92 percent — out of the 82 cases it initiated, 75 resulted in convictions.

Under the memorandum of agreement that PAGC and the VACC signed, the two parties bound themselves to work closely together in identifying new measures to prevent and minimize the opportunities of graft and corruption at all levels of the bureaucracy and for VACC to assist PAGC in its pro-active lifestyle checks on all presidential appointees covered by the commission.

PAGC will arrange for the training of the VACC volunteers who will be tapped to assist in the lifestyle checks.

The PAGC will also ensure the confidentiality of the identities of the VACC volunteers.

Corruption has been endemic in the government and even the President concedes it will take time before it is totally eradicated.

But Tony Kwok, former chief of Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency and now consultant to the Philippine government, said the country was making headway in its fight against the problem.

Kwok said more government officials were being convicted this time and the Office of the Ombudsman had also been strengthened to go after the crooks in government.