MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice-led Task Force against Corruption has received over 200 complaints and has acted on 40 reports since it started its work last year.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters that the TFAC has so far received 208 complaints, of which 148 were reports on “actual corruption cases.” There are 69 complaints that are currently under evaluation or have been evaluated, he added.
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The DOJ chief said the task force has acted on 40 complaints, which means they have referred the reports to concerned member agencies for comment or have been ordered for further investigation or case build-up.
“One complaint will be filed with the [Office of the Ombudsman]” on Tuesday, Guevarra added. No other details were given on the complaint to be filed before the anti-graft office.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the creation of an inter-agency task force, led by the DOJ, to investigate corruption in the “entire government.” While the DOJ started receiving tips on allegations of anomaly shortly after Duterte’s directive, it was not until December that the TFAC set up an operations center to receive complaints and tips that they will look into. Complaints or tips would still have to be evaluated.
Guevarra said that the complaints the task force received “involve a wide range of national government agencies, several government-owned or –controlled corporations, and a large number of local government units.”
The DOJ chief said the reports alleged violations of the Anti-Graft law, procurement law, Commission on Audit rules and social amelioration program.
He added that they also received complaints on “overpricing, ghost projects, unfinished projects, kickbacks and commissions, bribery, extortion, smuggling, fake land titles, falsified free patents, and other fraudulent, corrupt or illegal acts committed by public officials and private persons alike.”
The task force has earlier identified five agencies that they will prioritize in their probe. These are the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Registration Authority, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs. — Kristine Joy Patag