Expand functions of PCGG? Right now, there’s no policy, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines — “Right now, there is no policy,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles had this to say Friday after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed his plans to expand the functions of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG.)

Cruz-Angeles said that at the moment, there is no policy in place regarding expanding the mandate of the PCGG, she said.

“Since it is Secretary Remulla who has made the proposal, we’ll have to wait for him to bring it up. Right now, there is no policy,” Cruz-Angeles said in a press briefing.

Press Secretary Trixie Angeles-Cruz (Photo from a video posted on Facebook)

Remulla earlier said he is eyeing to shift the mandate of the PCGG to become a “central forfeiture asset office,” with the task of going beyond recovering the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family.

Remulla said he has brought up the suggestion to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“We don’t really want to abolish the PCGG. I have suggested that we create an asset forfeiture office for assets seized by the government for nonpayment of taxes, drug trafficking or for other crimes including graft and corruption,” Remulla said.

READ: Remulla on Marcos estate taxes: Improbable, ridiculous

According to the PCGG website, it is tasked to recover ill-gotten wealth of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his family and cronies, and other public officials.

Marcos Sr. is the father of Marcos Jr.

During the campaign period, Marcos Jr. said he will “strengthen” the PCGG to target all graft and corruption cases in the government.

READ: Marcos, if elected, vows to ‘strengthen’ PCGG to target all corruption cases

JPV