What’s going on around us

In 2010, the Integrity Initiative (II) was created as a private sector initiative to spearhead an anti-corruption campaign in the Philippines. In a span of more than seven years, the organization has expanded its network from 100 to nearly 4,000 public and private sector organizations that have signed the Integrity Pledge as a commitment to uphold global practice of transparency in business transactions and corporate accountability.

While we see anti-corruption activities / organizations expanding in many countries around the world, and while the Integrity Initiative is cooperating with anti-corruption groups in a number of ASEAN countries, like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, it is worthwhile to have a look what is going on in other countries:

* South Korea: Head of retail powerhouse Lotte indicted in South Korea corruption scandal

Apr 19, 2017 08:00 pm - Shin Dong-bin, the head of South Korea’s retail powerhouse Lotte, was charged with bribery on Monday after he allegedly offered 7 billion won (5.79 million euros, $6.15 million) to a sports foundation linked to a close aide of former President.

* China: Former China Telecom chief pleads guilty to bribery: Xinhua

Apr 19, 2017 07:30 pm - Chang Xiaobing, the former chief executive and chairman of China Telecom Corp (0728.HK), pleaded guilty on Tuesday to taking bribes at the beginning of his trial, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. A verdict will be announced later.

* Spain: Spanish PM called to appear as witness in corruption trial

Apr 19, 2017 07:00 pm - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has been called to appear as a witness in the ongoing trial over the “Gurtel” cash for favors corruption scandal, local media reported Tuesday quoting judicial sources. He will be the first Spanish prime minister to be called as a witness in a corruption trial.

* China: Former senior official sentenced to 20 years for graft

Apr 19, 2017 05:30 pm - Pan Yiyang, former vice chairman of the government of north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court in Tianjin on Tuesday for taking and offering bribes.

* United States: U.S. judge approves $2.6 billion fine for Odebrecht in corruption case

Apr 18, 2017 08:00 pm - A U.S. judge on Monday sentenced Brazilian engineering company Odebrecht SA to pay $2.6 billion in fines in a massive criminal corruption case, signing off on a plea deal between the company and U.S., Brazilian and Swiss authorities.

* Malaysia: MACC wants gov’t to declare corruption country’s number one enemy

Apr 18, 2017 07:30 pm - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) wants the government to declare corruption and power abuse as the country’s number one enemy. Its chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad said that corrupt enforcement officers and individuals, entrusted with power, have contributed to the issues.

* Indonesia: Businessman receives three years for bribery

Apr 18, 2017 05:30 pm - The Jakarta Corruption Court has handed down a three-year prison sentence and aRp 200-million (US$15,082) fine to businessman Ramapanicker Rajamohanan Nair for bribing a tax official to help settle his company’s tax problems.

Given this snapshot at what is going on around us, it is essential to remember the Integrity Initiative’s goal to earn more foreign investments for the country, more employment opportunities, and less poverty, resulting from international recognition that the Philippines is serious in its fight against corruption — that through the Integrity Initiative, the Philippines will hopefully become a benchmark in the transformation process from being highly corrupt to doing business ethically.