Gains vs corruption irreversible – Noy

MANILA, Philippines – The gains achieved by the administration in its fight against corruption are irreversible, President Aquino told a UN-organized anti-corruption forum yesterday.

Speaking at the 3rd UN Convention Against Corruption State Conference (UNCAC) held at Malacañang, Aquino said his administration has shown its seriousness in fighting corruption – from banning blaring sirens to putting the national budget to good use and in a transparent way.

“As I near the final days of my term, it is becoming easier to fully witness the scope of the reforms undertaken by our administration, and the stellar results our shared efforts have brought,” Aquino said.

At the same forum, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales also spoke about achievements in efforts to stop corruption in government.

Aquino said his administration has made sure there would be no “untouchables” in his campaign against corruption, citing the ouster of a chief justice, impeachment of an ombudsman and sending a former president, senators and other high-ranking government officials and individuals to jail on various charges.

“Justice must also be served to those who have erred. I am proud to say that, during our time in office, we have made no exceptions: we have gone after all those accused of corruption, regardless of their resources or their influence,” Aquino said.

The UNCAC is an international anti-corruption treaty approved and ratified by 177 countries. The Philippines signed the convention on Dec. 9, 2003, which was ratified by the Senate on Nov. 6, 2006. The convention requires regular review of anti-corruption initiatives and developments in signatory-states.

‘Wholehearted’ effort

Aquino said fighting corruption “is a fight we are all engaged in wholeheartedly,” and such commitment has helped transform the country from being the Sick Man of Asia into Asia’s New Darling.

“And we have begun to see the tangible impact of our long-term efforts to alleviate poverty, we can see this in the form of 1.4 million Filipino households – roughly equivalent to seven million Filipinos – lifted above the poverty line, as well as the lowest unemployment rate in a decade,” Aquino said.

“From day one, we worked to dismantle the culture of corruption, entitlement and waste that defined the preceding decade,” the President said, adding that under his administration, the people have come to realize “how it is to have a government that truly works for them.”

“We worked to eliminate corruption and institute transparency in every possible pocket of governance,” Aquino pointed out.

“While it is true that this might perhaps be a more tedious method of doing things, it is more meticulous and gives way to far less wastage and manipulation by unscrupulous individuals, and rightfully so,” he said. “After all, we are aware that we are not spending our personal money, but our people’s hard earned money.”

Morales, in a speech, said her office was unyielding and uncompromising in combating corruption and that even violations of laws against the environment were promptly addressed and resolved.

She said they were also working on an anti-corruption framework that would not only cover the current administration.

In the first semester of this year alone, she said the Office of the Ombudsman disposed of 1,475 criminal cases, eight forfeiture cases and 1,456 administrative cases, she said. She added case disposition rate this year is higher than in the previous year.

“The higher conviction rate in the Sandiganbayan was also reported in the first semester of 2015 as compared to last year,” she said.