Duterte to step up fight vs corruption – Go
SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Sunday said President Rodrigo Duterte would intensify his fight against corruption in the last two years of his term.
“Sabing Pangulo ,‘ di si ya ti ti gil na la lab an an ang korapsyon (The Presidents aid he will not stop fighting corruption),” Go said in a radio interview. “The next two years, sabin’yagagawin ni ya angl ah at. Gag a win ni ya ang la hat par as a Pi li pi no( he said he will do everything [to fight corruption]. He will do everything for the Filipinos).”
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health said Duterte had reminded him to speak up against corruption.
“Pin a pa ala lan’ y as a a kin, sabinya,‘Ikaw, Bong, kahit na ally ta yo,ka hit mg aka sam a han nat ins ago by er no ,‘ pagp um asok s aka tiwa lian, mags al it aka( He reminded me, ‘Bong, even if we are allies, even [when it comes to] our colleagues in the government, if they are involved in irregularities, you must speak up),” he added.
Go challenged the Department of Justice, which heads the task force recently created by the President to investigate alleged irregularities in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. ( PhilHealth), to bring to justice those who have committed anomalous acts and put an end to the deeply rooted and systemic corruption in government.
He urged Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Exective Secretary Salvador Medialdea to tap the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission in the fight against corruption.
“Jail them, especially those thieves who take advantage of the people’s money. Every peso is important to every Filipino in these trying times,” Go said.
He earlier enjoined all agencies of government to cooperate and support the efforts of the task force. While it was created to focus on alleged PhilHealth irregularities, the panel can also cover other agencies plagued with corruption.
“With more teeth, we expect this task force to discharge its key mandates without fear or favor and with greater haste,” Go said. The task force has the power to investigate, conduct audit and lifestyle checks, recommend suspensions, prosecute and file cases, and ensure that those accountable be put in jail.
He noted that he also urged the Departments of Finance and Budget and Management to help PhilHealth in the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC)
Law, given that collections of contributions are dwindling.
He previously met with the President’s economic managers, particularly Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd and Budget
Secretary Wendel Avisado, to discuss the issues hounding the state-run insurer.
“Nangang a mb aka mi.Sa biko sa financial managers tayong ng Pangulo, 2021 nawalang pondo ang UHC (We’re worried. I told the financial managers that it is unacceptable if we enter 2021 with no UHC funds),” the senator bared.