President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over the 40th Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañan Palace on August 5, 2019. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday welcomed Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission’s (PACC) move to conduct lifestyle checks on Cabinet members.
“That’s very good I welcome…That’s okay I guess that’s very healthy exercise and that will dispel any doubts about the integrity of the Cabinet members,” Guevarra told reporters at the sidelines of a Justice Sector Coordinating Council meeting between the Supreme Court, Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
On Wednesday, PACC commissioner Greco Belgica said they are conducting a lifestyle check on at least 200 government officials from the Bureau of Customs, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Belgica added that they are also investigating two Cabinet officials on allegations of corruption.
READ: 2 Cabinet secretaries under investigation for alleged corruption – PACC
“But let me tell you that some of these Cabinet members are actually wealthy even before they joined the government service kaya huwag nating ipagtaka kung bakit ang laki ng kanilang net worth They’re already wealthy before they joined the government,” he said.
Reports said Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi are the richest Cabinet secretaries in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, with net worths of at least P1.4 billion and P1.3 billion, respectively.
Guevarra, on the other hand, falls under the P100 million mark with P14.3 million networth.
READ: Billionaires Villar, Cusi are richest gov’t secretaries