For the second time in just a month, congressmen lambasted Commissioner Greco Belgica of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission for accusing anew congressmen of involvement in anomalous activities with neither proof nor names to support his claim.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“Put up or shut up,” Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor told Belgica as dared the Malacanang official to identify the 12 congressmen Belgica claimed to be engaged in corruption involving public works projects.
Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin aired a similar challenge to Belgica, saying that his insinuations “have no place in a democratic society.”
In a radio interview, Belgica insisted that 12 incumbent congressmen received kickbacks worth 15 percent of public works contracts. However, he refused to identify the lawmakers allegedly involved in the anomalies.
Reacting to the statements made by lawmakers, Belgica admitted Thursday that it is not involved in investigating “any member of Congress.”
“We cannot do it under our EO (executive order),” he said.
Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, lamented that this is the second time Belgica aired accusations against solons without identifying involved officials.
“To my recollection, this is the second time in recent months that he has made this allegation, although he refuses to name names, saying he does not have solid evidence to file cases,” Defensor said.
“If that is so, then he should just shut up. If he has evidence that can stand in court, he should file cases against the lawmakers he claims are involved in corruption,” Defensor added.
Garbin said evidence must be presented and cases must be filed if Belgica is indeed convinced he has enough reason to believe that 12 congressmen are dirty.
“If indeed the PACC has the smoking gun, then they have to make it known. Insinuations without naming names and providing evidence would merely cast doubt on the integrity of Congress in the sphere of public opinion,” Garbin told Belgica.
Exactly a month ago, ACT-CIS partylist Rep. Eric Yap decried Belgica’s claim of corruption against congressmen.
The PACC official claimed then that solons were behind a number of corrupt deals in infrastructure projects.
Yap, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said what Belgica has done was unfair to the House of Representatives as a respected institution of government.