MANILA, Philippines — Detained senator Leila De Lima on Monday filed a resolution calling for the probe on the government's 8888 hotline.
Malacañang, however, was quick to point out that the project is working as President Rodrigo Duterte has been firing those reportedly corrupt public officials.
De Lima, in a statement, asked the Senate to "look into the purported failure of the hotline in accommodating concerns and complaints about corruption in government offices."
She said that "Congress has the responsibility to conduct a probe and study the implementation of 8888 [Citizens'] Complaint Hotline as to its effectivity and equal accessibility to all citizens."
The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline was launched in August 2016 to encourage citizens to report fixers, scalawag officials and poor government services.
The hotline is open 24 hours a day.
"Every peso of Filipino taxpayers' money must be spent on programs and government services that actually work and are responsive to their needs, and not on programs launched merely to cosmetically or superficially fulfill campaign promises," De Lima also said.
Roque: Maybe De Lima hasn't tried hotline
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, pointed out that Duterte has fired several key officials due to reported corruption. "The firing won't stop," Roque told reporters on Monday's press briefing.
Duterte was catapulted to the chief executive position on a strong platform against drugs, criminality and corruption. Just last November, Dionisio Santiago was fired from heading the Dangerous Drugs Board due reported corruption and trip junkets. Santiago, however, denied the allegations.
Roque added: "Our message for the government workers is clear: Go to the private sector if you want to get rich."
The spokesperson also quipped that De Lima may have only issued the statement since "she hasn't tried it because she shouldn't have a telephone in her detention facility."
De Lima has been detained in the police headquarters since February. She is facing drug charges for allegedly helping propagate drug trade inside the national penitentiary during her term as Justice secretary—an allegation she has repeatedly denied and claimed to be "trumped up."