EDITORIAL - Costly phone calls

What is the Presidential Commission on Good Government up to these days? When PCGG officials are not being criticized for overseas trips, they are being asked to account for $34 million of the Marcoses’ Swiss deposits that are held in escrow at the Philippine National Bank. A report prepared by the Commission on Audit on PCGG operations in 2007 said the $34 million, or more than P1.4 billion, should have been transferred to the National Treasury.

Government auditors also want the PCGG to explain how its officials incurred P170,000 in mobile phone expenses ostensibly during overseas trips last year. The calls, made from countries including the United States, Singapore and South Korea, must be supported by documents proving that the PCGG officials were abroad on official business when the calls were made, according to the COA.

The PCGG has been in existence for more than two decades now. Its biggest haul so far has been the Marcoses’ bank deposits that were turned over by the Swiss to the Philippine government many years ago. Several buildings in the US were also recovered, but this was also accomplished a long time ago. These days there are no signs that the PCGG is poised to find any more ill-gotten wealth. The current PCGG approach seems to focus on reaching a settlement with the Marcoses, none of whom has been convicted of any wealth-related case. Litigation continues over several assets sequestered shortly after the collapse of the Marcos regime. PCGG board seats in those companies have been turned into sinecures for PCGG officials, or are doled out as political rewards by the administration to its allies. 

With no notable new accomplishments in the recovery of ill-gotten wealth, and with questions being raised by auditors about the way the PCGG handles its funds, the government should give serious thought to the phase-out of the commission. The PCGG outlived its usefulness years ago.