MANILA, Philippines — Thirty business groups in the Philippines are pushing for an independent and thorough investigation into the alleged widespread corruption in government-funded flood control projects.
In a statement released on Thursday, they said it was important that such an investigation will end up in prosecution and jail time for corrupt officials, not only in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but also in Congress, as well as the recovery of stolen funds.
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“In the strongest terms possible, we hereby declare our outrage, disgust and disappointment about the acts of many of our legislators in Congress and officials in the Executive Department, primarily in the [DPWH], the local government units (LGUs), and the Commission on Audit (COA), for their shameful, unabated, continuing and excessive acts of graft and corruption—a crime against our people, specially those who continue to live in dire poverty,” said the business groups, which included some of the country’s biggest and most influential.
They also called on erring government officials to “moderate your greed.”
“Our collective call to these corrupt officials is—PLEASE STOP! MAAWA NAMAN KAYO SA MGA NAGHIHIRAP NA TAONG BAYAN (Have mercy on the suffering people),” they said.
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Justice through punishment
Among those that signed the collective statement were the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex), and Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport).
These groups are led by Enunina Mangio (PCCI), Alfredo Panlilio (MAP), Edmund Alan Qua Hiansen (Finex) and Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. (Philexport).
“While we take note of the President admonishing the corrupt in government, we are concerned that the guilty among these officials will continue their merry way of robbing the people and filling their pockets, completely oblivious to the fact that they are betraying the public trust, committing a treasonous act against our people, and simply being unpatriotic and sinful,” they said.
“Justice for the Filipino people, specially the poor, can only be achieved by successfully punishing the corrupt,” they added.
Action plans
They outlined six actions plans, including helping identify those who have been guilty in the conspiracy to steal from the public and supporting campaigns against corruption and other malgovernance practices.
They pledged to collect evidence of corruption against government officials and their partners in crime in the private sector to aid in the filing of appropriate criminal and civil cases.
They also vowed to blacklist notorious businessmen and contractors who conspire with corrupt politicians and officials, lead the individual signing of an “integrity pledge” not to bribe any government official or politician in exchange for project approvals or favors.
Moreover, they will encourage the financial sector, particularly banks and the Anti-Money Laundering Council, to expose money launderers and their unexplained wealth.
Collective
The other groups that signed the collective statement were Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform, Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan, Association of CPAs for Sustainability Inc., Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals and Cebu Business Club;
Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Leads Foundation, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands, Connected Women and Employers Confederation of the Philippines;
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Federation of Philippine Industries, Filipina CEO Circle, FinTech Alliance Philippines, Green Edsa Movement, Iloilo Economic Development Foundation Inc., Institute for Solidarity in Asia, Institute of Corporate Directors, Justice Reform Initiative;
Military and Uniformed Personnel for United Philippines, Nextgen Organization of Women Corporate Directors, People Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Philippine Women’s Economic Network, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc., Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines and Women’s Business Council Philippines.
