President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday maintained that the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) should give due process to the two Cabinet secretaries who have been linked to corruption.
On August 14, PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica revealed that two incumbent Cabinet secretaries are under investigation for alleged corruption. Belgica said complaints submitted to PACC prompted separate investigations against the two Cabinet officials. One of the complaints was filed by an official of the Cabinet Secretary's department while the other case was filed by a private citizen. He declined to name the Cabinet secretaries, pending the result of the investigations.
Duterte, a former prosecutor, said he has yet to see the results of the PACC probe, but vowed to fire the two Cabinet members if proven guilty of corrupt activities. The President also said he usually summons public officials accused of corruption to his office before deciding on his next move.
Last week, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte would validate the allegations against two of his Cabinet members once he receives a report from PACC. A report from the PACC would be transmitted to Duterte once the anti-corruption body completes the investigations.
The PACC conducts a lifestyle check and investigates about 200 officials from agencies with the most corruption complaints, including the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Source：GOV.PH
