Duterte awaits Pacquiao’s list of ‘corrupt’ gov’t agencies

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is still waiting for Senator Manny Pacquiao’s list of supposed corrupt government agencies, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque expressed hope that Pacquiao will submit this list to the President before the senator leaves the country for his boxing match in August against two-belt champion Errol Spence.

“Hinihintay po ni Presidente yung listahan ng mga corrupt na ahensya ni Senator Pacquiao,” Roque said in a press briefing.

(The President is waiting for the list of corrupt agencies from Senator Pacquiao.)

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Roque said the Department of Health (DOH), which Pacquiao previously mentioned as a corrupt agency, had already been investigated before the Senate.

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“Bagamat sinabi niya na isa doon sa mga ahensyang ‘yun ang DOH, talaga naman pong naimbestigahan fully ng Senado. So wala pong bago doon sa sinabi niyang departamento na DOH,” Roque said.

(Although he said that one of those agencies was the DOH, they have already been fully investigated before the Senate. So there is nothing new when he said it’s the DOH.)

“So sana nga po, bago umalis si Senator Pacquiao, eh makapagsabi siya kung sino talaga ang dapat maimbestigahan dahil ang mensahe ni Presidente, hindi po niya tinotolerate ang corruption. Malaman lang niya kung saan merong sunog at papatayin niya ‘yung sunog na ‘yun,” he went on.

(So hopefully, before Senator Pacquiao leaves, he will name who should be investigated because the President’s message is that he doesn’t tolerate corruption. He will put out the fire wherever it is.)

In the President’s taped speech aired Monday night, he threatened to campaign against Pacquiao if he could not prove his claim of persistent corruption in government under Duterte’s watch.

KGA