(Eagle News) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday, Nov. 25, said the Department of Justice-led task force probing corruption in government would file complaints against officials involved in corruption even if they were not part of the executive department.
Guevarra made the clarification after President Rodrigo Duterte said he himself could not probe congressmen involved in corruption as they were in a separate branch of government.
According to Guevarra, while the President has no power to probe officials in other branches of government in administrative cases, no one was exempt from criminal prosecution.
He said based on the clarification he received, officials will “necessarily be included in complaints that the task force may file with the Office of the Ombudsman.”
“The President 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 Ombudsman through the secretary of justice,” Guevarra said.
“It’s the corrupt act or transaction that is being investigated. Kung sino man ang sasabit, it will not matter kung outside the Executive department siya. That is how we should view it,” he said.
The President has ordered a DOJ-led task force to probe corruption in government.
Earlier, he announced a P10,000 reward for people who would tip authorities on government officials and employees involved in graft and corruption.
