FORMER senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he intends to strengthen the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), and use it to go after those who engage in corruption regardless of who they are, if he wins in the presidential race.
Marcos, in an interview with CNN Philippines on Tuesday night, said times have changed and instead of limiting the PCGG’s focus on his family, it should do more and make its function more applicable to the present.
“Nasa ibang panahon na tayo eh. Hindi na ‘yun (ill-gotten wealth) ang issue. Ang issue is just graft and corruption in the government. And they’re already there. Eh di gamitin mo na. Patibayin mo pa para talagang meron kang agency na walang ginawa kundi nagbabantay na walang gumagawa ng kalokohan (We are in a different time. That’s not the issue anymore. The issue is just graft and corruption in the government. And the agency is already there. So let us use it. Strengthen it so there will be an agency that would focus irregularities so one will engage in it),” he said.
He said he is also willing to give PCGG a higher budget and additional manpower to enable it to do its job, including the additional task against graft and corruption.
The PCGG was created after the EDSA People Power of 1986 that toppled Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and was tasked to recover alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their allies.
The PCGG has so far recovered about P171 billion in ill-gotten wealth from the Marcoses and their cronies while over P125 billion worth of real and personal properties allegedly owned by the Marcos estate is still under litigation.
Asked about his thoughts on the alleged ill-gotten wealth, Marcos just said, “Let the court do it work.”
“Kami naman lagi naming sinasabi na if the court orders us to do something, we’ll do it. So let the court do their work (We always say that if the court orders us to do something, we’ll do it. So, let the court do their work),” he said.
Presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson contradicted Marcos on his statement that the PCGG should run also after individuals involved in corruption, and not on his family.
Lacson said the PCGG “was created to run after the Marcos wealth.”
“Kung gagawin niyang, i-expand, meron naman tayong PACC, di ba? Merong tayong Ombudsman and meron tayong Sandiganbayan (If he wants to expand [the PCGG’s mandate, that cannot be because] we have the PACC [Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission] isn’t it? We have the Ombudsman, we have the Sandiganbayan),” he said.
He said a sitting president can always create a new agency to address whatever problem through an executive order.
MARCOLETA QUITS
A member of the Marcos-Sara Duterte Carpio tandem’s UniTeam backed out of the senatorial race yesterday.
Deputy speaker Rodante Marcoleta withdrew following his continued poor showing in surveys, his office said yesterday.
Marcoleta is running under the PDP-Laban party faction of President Duterte and UniTeam.
In a statement, he said “after four months of grueling campaign sorties,” he continued to show poorly in surveys. He ranks between 24th and 30th place in the March survey of Pulse Asia.
“The fighter in me should also be brave enough to read the writings on the wall. Let us call a spade a spade,” he said.
Marcoleta thanked President Duterte for encouraging him to run, his trust, support and generous endorsement as well as PDP Laban, the People’s Reform Party and UniTeam for including him in their senatorial line up and for enriching his experience.
Marcoleta filed a statement of withdrawal last April 21 at the head office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said yesterday.
“It was accepted by the Commission en Banc earlier today,” he added.
The Comelec has said there is no deadline given for a candidate in withdrawing. However, withdrawal of candidates require personal appearance before the Commission.
Marcos, at the interview, said he does not tolerate graft and corruption and he intends to strengthen the campaign by leading by example and by choosing the right people for the job.
“Leading by example is very simple. Do not tolerate this kind of, iyung ginagawa na kinukuha iyung pera ng gobyerno (Leading by example is very simple. Do not tolerate this kind of, those people stealing the money from the government),” he said.
He said the campaign against corruption should start at the lower levels in bureaucracies by ensuring efficient delivery of service and removing fixers.
He said if anyone is caught engaging in corruption, they should be punished regardless of who they are or what position they have.
Marcos said he is focusing now on the campaign, adding he is not confident he will win on May 9 despite being the consistent front-runner in electoral surveys.
He said the UniTeam continues to have a hectic schedule leading towards the last day of the campaign on May 7.
On Tuesday, Marcos spent the day campaigning in Lanao del Norte and Cagayan de Oro City.
Marcos was joined by running mate Duterte-Carpio in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday night where they again explained their their platforms such as the reopening of more jobs for Filipinos, especially those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
Marcos and Duterte-Carpio also thanked the people of Lanao del Norte for their support and for joining their movement which seeks to promote unity in the country.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said there is still no decision if President Duterte will join a joint campaign rally by the UniTeam and the Partido Demokratiko Lakas ng Bayan. — With Gerard Naval and Raymond Africa
