JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said past leaders of the Presidential Commission on Good Government should be investigated by the Senate amid the series of legal defeats the government has suffered in cases against the family of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and their cronies.
Guevarra said the present leadership of the commission should be spared since majority of the cases against the Marcoses were filed in previous administrations.
“I welcome the Senate inquiry. For purposes, however, of knowing how the PCGG handled the Marcos cases, it should be the past PCGG leaderships who should be summoned to explain,” he said.
“The current officials of the PCGG had hardly any involvement in the cases except to await the rendition of judgment,” he said.
The PCGG was created in the aftermath of the 1986 EDSA People Power to run after the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their cronies.
The agency was first headed by former senator Jovito Salonga who stayed until March 5, 1987, followed by Ramon Diaz, Adolfo Azcuna,Mateo Armando Caparas and David Castro.
The Ramos presidency had only one PCGG chairman in Magtanggol Guningundo while Felix De Guzman, Alexander Gesmundo, Magdangal Elma served under the Estrada presidency.
During the Arroyo presidency, the PCGG was headed by Jorge Sarmiento, Haydee Yorac and Camilo Sabio.
Sabio also served for a time during the presidency of Aquino’s son, Noynoy, until he was replaced in September 2010 by Juan Andres Bautista who served until 2015.
Bautista was replaced by Richard Roger Amurao in an acting capacity until June 30, 2016 and was replaced by Reynold Munsayac, an appointee of President Duterte.
The PCGG is one of the agencies under the DOJ.