Palace: No sacred cows

Malacañang maintained there are no sacred cows in the Duterte administration, especially if they are accused of corrupt practices, adding it will “let the chips fall where they may.”

A probe was launched by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority chairman Isidro Lapeña and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Chairman Leonor Oralde-Quintayo, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna said allegations of corruption were brought to their office last year, which prompted them to open an investigation. He also assured the Cabinet members will be given due process and will be granted the chance to answer the allegations.

“We are investigating Secretary Bello, who was charged earlier and we are already looking into it. Then, we also have an ongoing investigation on former Commissioner of Customs Secretary Isidro Lapeña about the magnetic lifters (when he was Customs commissioner),” Luna said.

“We will await the result of the findings, what their recommendations will be. If there is enough evidence, then the President will act on it,” Panelo said at a Palace briefing yesterday.

“You violate the law regardless of your status, whether you’re a friend or ally or a political adversary or a relative or a friend or a fraternity brod, that won’t matter. You violate the law, you are accountable,” he added.

The investigative body has yet to bare details of its ongoing probe as it remains classified, but said it will immediately forward its findings to the Office of the President once it wraps up an investigation.

Panelo, however, clarified the said Cabinet men will stay in their respective posts while the PACC conducts the probe, even if Mr. Duterte had said in the past that he would kick out officials even with “just a whiff of corruption.”

“When we say whiff of corruption, there are already substantial grounds. The President will have that investigated immediately. You won’t be fired or dismissed just because you are accused of being corrupt. The President is not like that. He’s a lawyer, remember. Always don’t forget that,” the official stressed.

Created in 2017 through Executive Order 43, the PACC was given authority to investigate all presidential appointees, both in and out of the Executive branch, as well as those in the police and military, suspected of being involved in graft and corruption.

Upon conclusion of their investigation, the PACC then submits its reports and recommendations to the President, who then takes appropriate action.

Luna said the PACC cannot yet divulge information regarding their probe, but added that preliminary findings will be sent “for the President’s consideration.”

“We are not saying they are already guilty. That is the reason why we are conducting investigations to know the truth,” he explained.