Lacson questions exemptions in gov’t-wide corruption probe

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday believes the government-wide corruption investigation ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte “started on the wrong foot” when there have already been supposed “exceptions” into the inquiry.

The President recently announced that he ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch a sweeping probe into corruption across the bureaucracy.

“Maganda ang move. Ang problema lang, at the outset, mag-create ng mega-task force to address all corruption, and in the same announcement, meron agad exceptions,” Lacson said in an online interview with reporters.

(The move is good. At the outset, the problem is a mega-task force is created to address all corruption, and in the same announcement, there are already exceptions.)

“Doon pa lang, parang it has already started on the wrong foot,” he added.

(It seems that it has already started on the wrong foot.)

While Lacson welcomed the task force’s creation, he said the President “effectively” exempted some officials, such as Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

“That’s most welcome kasi nobody is above the law. Pero bakit exempted dito…parang effectively, without saying it, parang sinasabing huwag nyo isama si Secretary Duque or Secretary Villar,” the senator said.

(That’s most welcome because nobody is above the law. But why does it seem that they were exempted…effectively, without saying it, Secretary Duque or Secretary Villar should be exempted.)

“I am not trying to say ang dalawa may kinalaman sa corruption, far from that. Pero para magkaroon kaagad at the outset, meron agad na hindi dapat galawin, paano mag-succeed ang effort to curb corruption? Di ba dapat lahat isama?” he added.

(I’m not saying that the two are involved in corruption, far from that. But at the outset, there already were people who should not be touched. How can the effort to curb corruption succeed?)

Duterte himself previously revealed the alleged corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways, saying that no infrastructure project would start without any under-the-table deals.

He repeated his corruption claims in another recorded speech but cleared Villar of wrongdoing as he argued that the Secretary is already rich and does not need to pocket government funds.

Meanwhile, Duterte expressed his continued trust with Duque despite the fund mess hounding PhilHealth, which the latter is serving as ex-officio chairman of.

“Yung Congress sabi i-suspend si Duque, I said ‘For what?’…What ground would I base my decision [on]?” Duterte said in a public address aired on Monday, where he announced the mega task-force creation.

(Congress wants me to suspend Duque. I said, ‘For what?’…What ground would I base my decision on?)

“Would I just obey the cry of one million as against my assessment na si Duque walang nanakaw kung pera ang paguusap….maybe some other things, he might be [in] some other things. But corruption, pera? Wala,” he added.

(Would I obey the cry of one million as against my assessment of Duque who did not steal anything when it comes to money…maybe some other things, he might be in some other things. But corruption, money? Nothing.) [ac]