THE HOUSE majority leader said Thursday he endorsed an initial list of anti-corruption measures for possible inclusion in the chamber’s legislative agenda in support of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s campaign against corruption.
“We initially identified five anti-corruption measures and submitted these to Speaker Lord Allan Q. Velasco for his consideration. Prioritizing the passage of these proposed laws can help boost President Duterte’s renewed efforts to curb graft and corruption in the government,” Leyte Representative Martin G. Romualdez, who chairs the House committee on rules, said in a statement.
The list includes House Bill (HB) No. 7230 which seeks to augment the financial resources of the Office of the Ombudsman by giving it a 3% share in any property forfeited in favor of the State under Republic Act No. 139 or the Forfeiture Law. and HB No. 579 which seeks to create the National Independent Commission Against Corruption.
HB Nos. 581 and 6003 which require the inclusion of anti-corruption and governance education in the basic education and higher education curriculum and HB No. 967 which seeks to provide whistleblower protections to persons reporting and providing testimony against corrupt officials.
“Upon instruction of the Speaker, we will back the swift passage of these timely bills,” Mr. Romualdez said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice-led Task Force Against Corruption Operations Center held its first meeting, Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar told reporters Thursday.
Ms. Aglipay-Villar said Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra will chair the task force.
“There will be a case evaluation committee that will do the screening of all information and complaints. The evaluation committee makes a recommendation of where the reports get to be referred to but the referral is approved and signed by the chairperson,” she said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
