How is the administration addressing corruption in the government? Just look at the President鈥檚 allies being punished for allegedly engaging in corrupt activities.
President Benigno Aquino聽III on Friday聽faced tough questions from members of the electronics sector during the forum of Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines in Muntinlupa City.
He spoke before the chief executive officers, presidents and other executives of 260 foreign and Filipino semiconductor and electronics companies in the Philippines at The Bellevue Hotel.
During the open forum, Mario Ravancho, one of the members of the audience, asked the President what the administration was doing to discipline corrupt employees of the government.
Ravancho pointed out that even electronics companies had been victimized by unscrupulous government employees.
鈥淭he Philippine electronics industry in general applauds the Excellency for his thrust on good governance, integrity and transparency. It is unfortunate, however, that the electronics companies are still victims of red tape and corruption by the employees of the public sector. What measures are being undertaken to ensure that the administration鈥檚 thrusts are trickled down even to the first-level officers?鈥�
President Aquino said his allies were not exempt from the law.
鈥淲ell, I think, if you read today鈥檚 papers, you will see that even our allies are being made to account by the Ombudsman under the various courts,鈥� he said.
Recently, Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Sr., a key ally of Aquino and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, was ordered dismissed for allegedly demanding P3 million from a businessman in 2011.
鈥淭hat, hopefully, will send a message to everybody that corruption really is not (tolerated in the government),鈥� said Aquino.
The Sandiganbayan also barred the governor鈥檚 son, Vladimir Tanco, who was his father鈥檚 security officer, from holding public office after they were found guilty of grave misconduct.
Aquino added that corruption in the government would not exist if no one offered bribes to begin with.
鈥淧erhaps, if I may just add, whenever anybody talks about corruption, they talk about the person in government. But what about the necessary partner who is the briber? A bribee doesn鈥檛 exist without a briber 鈥� I think, it鈥檚 very clear鈥斺�檡ung nakikiuusap. Kaya nga nakikiusap dahil malabo,鈥� he said.
鈥淎nd if both parties, those that feel it鈥檚 easier to bribe the person who actually accepts the bribe are, shall we say, brought to a new direction, then I think we will eliminate that idea of corruption,鈥� he added. Julliane Love de Jesus/RC