PACC backs fight vs DPWH corruption
THE Presidential Anti- Corruption Commission (PACC) has thrown its its support behind President Rodrigo Duterte after he denounced the massive corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez said the commission was one with Duterte in his administration’s efforts to put an end to corruption in government.
“With regards to the messaging of the President with the
corruption that is going on in the various bureaucracy of the government, it follows that the President, in the last remaining months of his term, will really focus on his advocacy on illegal drugs, corruption,” Jimenez said during the virtual presser.
Jimenez said the PACC had been receiving reports of corruption in the DPWH and urged the public to report them through the commission’s hotline and file complaints.
“With regards to the public works, we have received already the same similar situation of projects naganoonpo angsistema ( that have such a system). Ang ibig sabihin kungwalakangpangbigayor panglagay,hindimaaward ang iyong project ( Meaning, your project will not be approved if you did not give money or bribe). That’s why because of the President’s Build, build, build, ang PACC po will really be on top of this,” said Jimenez.
Speaking to the public late Wednesday, the President bared that there was no infrastructure project that could be started without under the table facilitation fees.
The public address came after Senators Franklin Drilon and Panflio Lacson scored the DPWH for over P300 billion in lump sum appropriations embedded in the agency’s P667.3-billion proposed budget for 2021.
They also noticed that the
DPWH has a high allocation for local projects such as the nearly P70-billion funding for the creation of multi-purpose buildings and facilities.
Duterte also told Congress, which is now scrutinizing the proposed budget of the DPWH, along with other agencies, that part of project expenses for infrastructure goes to corruption.
“If Congress would really want to know, angmga project ng DPWH merontalaga‘yanpara sa ‘give’ (there is really a portion of DPWH projects being used to ‘give’ to certain people),” Duterte said.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque
Jr. said the President merely wanted to reiterate his anti-corruption drive, one of his campaign promises alongside the war on illegal drugs.
“Angpangakonamanpong Presidente,igugugolniyatalaga itongnatitirangpanahonpara labananangkorapsyonsalahat ngdepartamentonggobyerno lalung-lalonasiguroposa PhilHealth atsa DPWH (The President has promised that he will dedicate his remaining time to fight corruption in all government agencies, especially at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and DPWH),” he said.