Lawmakers are now included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the justice department to investigate the entire government for corruption, his spokesman confirmed.
“Mayroon din po tayong mga immunities na ini-enjoy ang ating mga elected members of Congress and the Senate, pero it is not for violating anti-graft laws,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. told reporters.
[Our elected members of Congress and the Senate enjoy certain immunities, but it is not for violating anti-graft laws.]
“So, kasama po ang lahat po ng mga public offices [sa imbestigasyon] despite the separation of powers dahil wala naman pong separate na ahensiya na nag-iimbestiga ng korapsiyon sa Kongreso mismo. Iyan po ay kapangyarihan ng ehekutibo, to implement the laws to all kahit sino pa man sila,” he added.
[So, all public offices are included in the investigation despite the separation of powers because there is no separate agency that investigates corruption in Congress itself. That is a power of the executive, to implements law to all, no matter who they are.]
On Tuesday, Duterte issued a memorandum directing the justice department to look conduct probe into corruption claims against government agencies until the end of his term in 2022. It gives the Department of Justice the power to pick what allegations to investigate and to work with other agencies.
“I hope that all government workers, officials are listening. This is a memorandum from me to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra… The subject is investigate of allegations of corruption in the entire government–Lahat (everything),” PRRD said in his taped speech.
“Ito po ay isang (this is a) mega task force,” the president’s spokesman said.
