Duterte vows to jail corrupt officials, recover stolen funds
President Duterte has pledged to send to jail corrupt government officials, including those involved in anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and try to recover the stolen funds.
In his televised address Monday night, the President said he would “get the true figures” from the Commission on Audit (COA) as he committed that his anti-corruption drive will spare no one, not even his friends and contributors.
"Ipakulong ko talaga itong mga p i
“Huwag kang mag-ano maski kaibigan mo o kaibigan natin, maski tumulong, maski nagbigay ng pera na tulong pagka nandiyan sa corruption. Eh wala namang pinag-usapan na mag-contribute ka sa akin tapos mag-corrupt ka (Don’t give in even if the person is our friend, even if they helped, gave money, and they get involved in corruption. There was no agreement that you contribute and you commit corruption),” he said.
The President also committed to find the truth behind the PhilHealth's alleged anomalies with the help of the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit.
Representatives from the two constitutional bodies are included in the government panel that will look into the alleged corruption in PhilHealth. The task force has been created by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra upon the orders of the President.
Duterte noted that a government official may be dismissed if he or she refuses to obey the Ombudsman.
"If the Ombudsman would summon you, kasi tatlo sila eh. Hindi ka makasabi hindi (If the Ombudsman would summon you, because they are three, you can't say no). I think the Ombudsman will be pissed off. You will just be dismissed for refusing to obey the order," he said.
“That is how ang power ng Ombudsman. May iutos ka, hindi mo sundin? Ah wala alis ka. Then sa COA, I will get the true figures. Kasali ang COA so tatlo ‘yan sila. Justice Department,” he said about the three bodies involved in the PhilHealth probe.
The investigating panel is authorized to look into PhilHealth's finances, conduct lifestyle checks, and impose preventive suspension of PhilHealth officials pending the probe. The panel is tasked to submit its findings and recommendations to the President within 30 days after its creation.