PACC clears Piñol of corruption

MANILA, Philippines— After a seven-month investigation, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has cleared Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol of corruption.

The PACC launched a lifestyle check on Piñol late last year as rumors were rife he made money from rice importation deals following his appointment as head of the National Food Authority (NFA).

Piñol was designated chair of the NFA Council after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 62, which returned the agency to the control of the Department of Agriculture (DA) from the Office of the President.

In its Resolution No. 14 dated June 10, the PACC cleared Piñol and stated that it has “found no evidence pointing to unexplained wealth.”

The PACC, led by its chairman Dante Jimenez, also commended Piñol for voluntarily submitting himself to the lifestyle check.

“The PACC hopes that this will be the new culture in government service where instead of clamping up and issuing denials in the face of insinuations of corruption, public officials should open up to thorough scrutiny,” Jimenez said in a statement.

The PACC said it will submit its findings to Duterte including copies of all documents gathered during the investigation.

The President has repeatedly threatened to fire government officials even on a “whiff” of corruption.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)

READ: Duterte: There’s no corruption in my Cabinet