The
Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday said it would start sorting complaints
received by the task force on corruption next week.
"All
complaints so far received by the task force against corruption secretariat are
now being screened and evaluated. I will call a meeting of the main task force
next week to identify which of these complaints will be the subject of special
investigating teams," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters
when asked on the status of the complaints including those involving government
officials and employees who are not part of the executive department.
The DOJ
chief said a "general" update on the cases will be released next week
on the cases.
"I
do not wish to give special attention to any particular class of potential
respondents," Guevarra said.
On
Wednesday, Guevarra said he received instructions on going after public
officials, who do not belong to the executive department, in the course of the
investigations into corruption allegations.
"The
President (Rodrigo Duterte) stated that if the involvement of a member of
Congress, for instance, is germane to the anomalous transaction, then the
latter’s inclusion in criminal charges will have to be endorsed to the Office
of the Ombudsman through the Secretary of Justice," Guevarra said in a
message to reporters.
Guevarra
added that "when it comes to criminal investigation and prosecution, no
one is exempt, except those enjoying immunity from suit during their
tenure".
"The
rule is different in administrative cases. the President has neither
supervision nor control over other branches of the government and therefore may
not investigate them for misconduct, dishonesty, and the like, as he (Duterte)
correctly pointed out," he added.
In a
public address on Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would refer
to the Office of the Ombudsman information he received about some members of
the House of Representatives who allegedly received kickbacks from project
contractors.
Duterte
bared that he received a list of lawmakers who were allegedly involved in
corruption in projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said
the list was given to him by Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC)
Commissioner Greco Belgica.
However,
he refused to investigate and name these lawmakers saying he has no
jurisdiction over members of a co-equal branch of government.
0 comments:
Post a Comment