Former National Economic and Development Authority chief Solita Monsod on Wednesday accused government leaders of treating public funds as their own, warning that corruption has reached “world-class magnitudes” and is now dragging down the country’s economic growth.

“We have leaders that steal from us rather than help us go forward,” Monsod said during an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE’s Straight Talk on Wednesday.

Monsod said the national budget, which is supposed to finance the country’s development goals, has been badly abused, with a significant portion diverted to projects benefiting contractors and politicians.

“Obviously, the budget, which is supposed to be the vehicle for development financing, has been totally abused,” she said.

“I think maybe about 30 percent of that budget is not being used for development financing. It is being used for financing contractors and the senators and the congressmen,” she added.

Monsod said the misuse of public funds has turned the government budget into a business opportunity for some lawmakers.

“The Philippine government budget has become a business proposition on the part of some of our congressmen and senators,” she said.

She also linked corruption to the country’s weak economic performance, rejecting claims that the flood control scandal itself was responsible for the slowdown.

“It was not the flood control problem. It was the corruption that slowed it,” Monsod said.

“Kasi corruption has become, you know, it’s way past my mind. It blows the mind, the corruption that’s going on today. Parang yung corruption of yesterday was nothing compared to what’s going on today,” she added.

Marcos comparison

Monsod went on to draw a stark comparison between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., on corruption.

“The amount of corruption of this president, under this president’s administration, is only less, is less only than the amount of corruption during his father’s time,” Monsod said.

“No kidding. You can see that there are data, international data, on the amount of corruption,” she added.

She also questioned Marcos Jr.’s assertion that his family had no ill-gotten wealth, citing international estimates that Marcos Sr. amassed billions of dollars during his rule.

“Internationally, President Marcos I was said, was alleged to have gotten about at least $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth,” Monsod said.

“So where did they get all that money? If it was not ill-gotten?” she asked.

‘Binababoy’ impeachment process

Monsod also weighed in on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, criticizing senators who have stopped attending the proceedings.

She specifically pointed to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Loren Legarda.

“Cayetano is no longer attending the hearings. Legarda is no longer attending the hearings. What does that mean?” Monsod asked.

She warned that if senators vote to acquit Duterte despite the evidence presented, they would undermine the impeachment process.

“And if they vote for acquittal, binababoy nila ang proseso. Binababoy nila ang proseso. That’s it,” she said.

Monsod said lawmakers who have objections to the proceedings should air them publicly rather than simply stop attending.

“If they have anything against the process now, they should make their complaints to the Filipino people now,” she said.

“Terrible talaga. They do not respect the Filipino people.”

She then returned to what she considers the central issue: whose money is being spent.

“The Filipino, who gave that P7.2 trillion pesos to the government? Not the Filipino people? Is it not our taxes that are trying to finance that?” Monsod said.

“Binababoy, you know, they treat the Filipino people like the Filipino people were their servants rather than their masters,” she said.

“And that is a thought process that should be changed completely.”

‘It is their money that is being stolen’

Monsod said Filipinos need to recognize that government funds ultimately come from them and that they have a responsibility to demand accountability.

“We have to tell the Filipino people that they are the ones; it is their money that is being used, it is their money that is being stolen,” she said.

“We, the Filipino people ourselves, have a lot to answer for because we allow it to happen. We allow it.”

She said the country cannot afford to remain passive as public funds are diverted from development.

“They do not have the objective of the Filipinos in mind. They have their private objectives in mind,” Monsod said of corrupt officials.

‘Deeper rut’

Monsod said the scale of corruption has become so severe that it is holding back the country despite its resources.

“If only the government officials themselves, meaning the legislative and the executive, just keep their hands out of that budget... We will be able to achieve all that we want to achieve,” she said.

“We are not in the same rut. We are in a deeper rut. Because the corruption has taken world-class magnitudes.”

She said Filipinos must become more vigilant in monitoring how their taxes are spent.

“All we have to do is pay attention. What is going on? Because that’s our money,” Monsod said.