Analyst: Corruption still haunts Aquino administration

President Benigno Aquino III. Photo by RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Corruption still haunts the Aquino administration despite the “tuwid na daan” (straight path) campaign of the government, a political analyst said Thursday.

Professor Ramon Casiple said the widespread corruption in the government as perceived by the business sector in the recent Social Weather Station Survey (SWS) came as no surprise.

“Corruption in the government is entrenched. There is a need for a dramatic action and a strong political will for the president to actually confront this (corruption),” Casiple said.

Casiple added that the current political system in the country is indicative of the corruption that has been haunting the government despite efforts of the Aquino administration.

“To be fair to the President and to his Cabinet members, they have done a lot of reforms, but the problem is on its impact. We still need to find convictions. The problem is it is taking too long,” he said.

The latest SWS survey revealed that 56 percent of the business people claimed seeing “a lot” of corruption in the public sector, a 30-percent increase from 43 percent in 2012.

Malacañang earlier said the perception on seeing “a lot of corruption in the government” is balanced by the perception that the government is taking steps to eradicate corruption.

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