PNP most corrupt agency – survey

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) is the most corrupt institution in the country, according to the latest Global Corruption Barometer of the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International.

The survey showed that 69 percent of surveyed Filipinos believed police personnel were corrupt, 64 percent believed public officials and civil servants were affected by corruption, while 58 percent had the same view on political parties.

The media and religious institutions were perceived to be the least affected by corruption with 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

At least 56 percent of the respondents thought the judiciary was corrupt, four percentage points higher than the 52 percent who have the same opinion on the legislature.

The military was deemed corrupt by 43 percent of the respondents.

The survey also showed that 32 percent viewed the educational system as affected by corruption while 31 percent had the same opinion on the medical and health services.

About 30 percent of the respondents thought corruption was affecting businesses, while 25 percent had the same perception on non-government organizations.

The Global Corruption Barometer has been gathering the corruption views and experiences of people around the world since 2003. This year’s survey covered more than 114,000 respondents in 107 countries.

Phl corruption eases

The latest survey also showed that 35 percent of Filipinos thought corruption in the country had gone down a little in the past two years, while 31 percent believed it had stayed the same.

Nineteen percent of surveyed Filipinos said corruption had increased a lot, while 12 percent said it had increased a little. Only two percent thought corruption in the country had decreased a lot.

Some respondents also admitted to paying bribes in the last 12 months. Nineteen percent admitted to bribing the police while 14 percent did the same for registry and permit services.

Eleven percent of the respondents said they paid bribes to land services, while 10 percent bribed members of the judiciary. Seven percent and six percent of the respondents bribed tax authorities and education officials, respectively.

Six percent of the respondents said they paid bribes to personnel involved in education services, while four percent did the same to those in medical services.

Five percent admitted to bribing those in the utilities sector, while four percent did the same to those in medical services.

Almost half or 45 percent of respondents agreed that ordinary people could make a difference in the fight against corruption.

Efforts recognized

Meanwhile, Malacañang said the survey showed that the people believe that the issue of corruption is being addressed by the Aquino administration.

“Our fight against corruption has been recognized from six percent (in 2010) to 38 percent and we continue to fight corruption in all levels,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“We recognize that there are still some levels of corruption but the people have seen that there is a consistent fight against corruption under this government,” he added.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala assured the public that efforts are underway to make the military less vulnerable to corruption.

Zagala said reforms are continuous and the survey is “a manifestation of the things we need to do to improve the people’s perception of us.”

The PNP has yet to issue a statement on the results of the survey.

“We are not yet competent to answer that report. We will still have to look at the report,” Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP-Public Information Office chief, said.

Sindac promised members of the media that an official statement of the PNP would be issued at 3 p.m. yesterday but no statement has been issued as of press time. With Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe