A revolutionary government to stamp out corruption

The public outcry against massive corruption has recently been dramatized by President Duterte’s order to investigate thievery in all branches of government.

Even the newly installed Speaker seconded such call, knowing that almost all members of the House of Representatives he leads are contractors either by themselves, or by their relatives, cronies, and/or their dummies who corner infrastructure projects and pocket billions of pesos of taxpayer money. Needless to say, the investigation on corrupt practices should begin in Congress, as corruption and abuse of power emanate from it.

The mega task force created at the Department of Justice to investigate corruption will go nowhere as it will not be able to imprison a single plunderer. Not under the Duterte administration, not under the present Congress, not under the present Constitution.

At the end of the period, I could see Mr. Duterte once again grinding his teeth as he speaks with frustration not only because no one was dismissed from public service, not one arrested and sent to jail, but also because many of those he brought in and appointed would turn out to be corrupt, or be corrupted by the powers in imperial Manila.

That is why we in the People’s National Coalition for a Revolutionary Government and Charter Change propose a revolutionary government that would highly prioritize the fight against corruption, by conducting the speedy resolution of all pending cases in the Office of the Ombudsman within a 90-day period from the date of an executive order issued for this purpose.

Expand the Office of the Ombudsman into every province. Each provincial office of the ombudsman shall hence be given a 90-day period to resolve cases of graft and corruption from the date of filing, dismiss those without merit, and file criminal and civil cases against government officials and employees with strong evidence before an expanded Sandiganbayan.

Enlarge the Sandiganbayan into all regions and allow each regional Sandiganbayan only six months or 180 calendar days to resolve corruption cases, to acquit those falsely accused or without merit, and convict those accused government officials when evidence so warrants and send them to jail. No more “Justice delayed, justice denied.”

Institute the “Nakaw na Yaman” Recovery Program. All elected and appointed government officials, including their private accomplices, who have accumulated ill-gotten wealth through fraudulent practices in violation of all pertinent corruption laws, and/or those whose wealth have become disproportionate to their salaries and legitimate income, shall be subjected to confiscation policies in favor of the government. Confiscated wealth and/or properties shall be returned only upon submission of proof that they have been legally and/or legitimately earned.

This is the way to stop corruption within the bounds of law, and this can only be possible under a revolutionary government.

BOBBY BRILLANTE,
secretary-general,
People’s National Coalition for a Revolutionary Government and Charter Change