Ombudsman: We fail in fighting graft
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol yesterday said the campaign against graft and corruption has been a failure so far.
This was was his assessment during the celebration of International Anti-Corruption Day.
Apostol, however, said he would not give up the fight.
Instead, he urged citizens and various sectors in the community to join forces to fight corruption.
“The surest way to victory is to have a united front against corruption,” said Apostol during his speech at Harolds Hotel in Cebu City.
In one PowerPoint slide, he listed, “Why we cannot honestly say we won the war against corruption.”
“We are not united in our efforts,” he explained.
“We are not sincere in the implementation of our laws, rules, and regulations. We have a culture of tolerating corruption,” Apostol told participants of the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Council.
He said the Ombudsman is willing to investigate anomalies in the government.
However, Apostol said they can only wait for the public to file complaints against erring public officials.
“Anyone who won’t join in our campaign is corrupt,” he said.
In saying the Philippines has failed in its campaign against corruption, Apostol took into consideration reports from agencies like Transparency International, the Pacfic Economics Risk Consultant, the Social Weather Station, and the media, which report widespread perception that corruption is prevalent in the Philippines.
“Let us accept it. We failed in our campaign against corruption,” Apostol said.
He appealed for the participation of other countries.
“Corruption is a transnational crime. We need the help of foreign countries,” he said as he appealed for public support for the Ombudsman Office.
“The fight against corruption is for our children. It is the future of our children that we are talking about here,” Apostol said.
