Palace says businesses should also be blamed for gov't corruption

MANILA, Philippines — Businesses should also be blamed for the corruption in government because some of them paid bribes or chose to remain silent about the anomalies they experienced, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said corruption and bribery in government won't stop unless businessmen speak out against those who are involved in irregularities.

"That's what the president has been saying. Do not complain of corruption when you yourselves are involved in them. With regard to bribery, who are involved? The one bribing and the one accepting (the bribe)," Panelo said in a chance interview.  

"If you don't allow it to happen, there would be no bribery...If you report them, we can prosecute them," he added.

Panelo was asked to react to a report by the PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Services, which claimed that bribery and corruption are picking up in the Philippines over the last 24 months.

The survey, which covered 101 businesses, said 21% of respondents claimed they were asked to pay a bribe while 14% said they lost an opportunity to a competitor who they believed paid a bribe.

The report also said economic crime and fraud landscape inthe Philippines "continues to grow exponentially," hitting at least one out of two business respondents who reported having experienced economic crime and fraud over the last two years. Losses attributed to fraud and economic crime ranged from $5 million to $50 million, the consultancy firm said.

Despite allegations of corruption in government, Panelo claimed investors remain bullish about the Philippines.

"Many (investors) are coming in because they heard about the Duterte administration's campaign against corruption," Panelo said.

"Government will always be there to respond but unless you tell them who are involved, we can't do anything. That's why we have been appealing to the people. Any act of corruption, you tell us and we will address it," he added. 

President Rodrigo Duterte previously vowed not to tolerate even a whiff of corruption under his watch.