Task Force vs Corruption: Action taken on 210 of 220 reports received
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice-led Task Force against Corruption (TFAC) has received at least 220 reports since late 2020, with various local government units and the Department of Public Works and Highways frequently the subject of the complaints.
Duterte ordered the creation of the task force to investigate corruption in the "entire government" on Oct. 27, 2020. The panel’s work will continue until the end of the president’s term.
Eight months since it started its work, and with a year left in the Duterte administration, the task force submitted its midyear report to the president early this month, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday.
As of June 9, they have received at least 220 complaints of alleged corrupt activities in government, and 210 of these complaints "had been acted upon quietly by the task force," he added.
Most reports the task force received were allegations against various local government units and the DPWH, he added. “Many of the complaints were about anomalous transactions perpetrated jointly by these LGUs and district engineering offices,” the DOJ chief also said.
Also named in many of the reports were the Land Registration Authority, the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Customs and various Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations.
So far, the task force has endorsed at least 15 cases to the Office of the Ombudsman for further investigation, Guevarra said.
The National Bureau of Investigation meanwhile is looking into 15 other reports for case build-up and possible criminal investigation. “The rest were referred to other pertinent government agencies for the conduct of administrative investigation,” Guevarra added.
No complaints vs DOH related to pandemic response
But Guevarra said the TFAC has so far not received any reports on corruption against the Department of Health, except for two issues.
“Except for complaints relating to Dengvaxia and [Philippine Health Insurance Corp.], the TFAC has not received so far any other complaints against the DOH, particularly in connection with anti-COVID 19 pandemic expenditures,” Guevarra said.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao has identified the health department as a government agency that should be investigated for possible corruption. He specifically mentioned the department's role in the procurement of supplies needed to combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Pacquiao made the statement as the public squabble within the administration PDP-Laban continues. Duterte this week challenged Pacquiao to name corrupt agencies and officials after calling the senator out over remarks he supposedly made about corruption in government.
In response to the senator's allegation, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the department is willing to “submit ourselves to inquiries from legislators as this is a part of the checks and balances in our government."
Resident ombudsmen
Guevarra also said that the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit and the DOJ are finalizing a memorandum of agreement to “revive the deployment of resident ombudsmen in certain graft-prone agencies.”
“We expect to sign the MOA with OMB and the COA in July,” he added.
“DOJ prosecutors and COA auditors will be deputized by the OMB to act as watchdogs in corruption-prone government agencies,” Guevarra also said.
In December last year, Guevarra said the idea to deputize state prosecutors and auditors came from Ombudsman Samuel Martires himself.
“He (Martires) explained that his office did not have enough manpower to revive the resident ombudsmen of the past on their part,” the DOJ chief said then.
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