DOJ, COA agree to assign antigraft officers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Audit have agreed to the suggestion of Ombudsman Samuel Martires to assign their employees as resident antigraft officers in corruption-plagued state agencies, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday.

The DOJ chief said several government agencies have already formed and intensified their own internal anticorruption mechanisms in support of the President’s order to put an end to the misuse of taxpayer money.

Guevarra said the DOJ-led task force had already approved the rules to guide its operations center in handling complaints and reports about corruption.

“With the approval of the guidelines, the task force’s operations center is expected to process complaints and reports on corruption more efficiently,” he said. —MARLON RAMOS