PACC underscores importance of lifestyle check of gov’t officials

September 28, 2020

The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) underscored on Monday the importance of conducting lifestyle checks of government officials.

This is contrary to the position of Ombudsman Samuel Martires who has admitted that since he assumed the post in 2018, he ordered to stop conducting lifestyle checks against officials who allegedly have been living extravagantly.

"We, at the PACC believe that lifestyle check is important to determine or at least to prevent corruption in government," said PACC head Commissioner Greco Belgica in a televised press briefing.

But despite having a different position with that of Martires, Belgica expressed belief that this would not be a problem.

Belgica said the PACC primarily submits its report and recommendation to the Office of the President.

"As to the Ombudsman, of course, the Ombudsman can speak for himself and it's up to him - well, it is a constitutional body so I would not want to touch that," he said.

According to Martires, the lifestyle check of government officials has become a fishing expedition and a source of extortion.

Aside from refraining to conduct lifestyle check, the Ombudsman has also restricted the access of the public on the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of those government officials who submit the copies of their SALN to his office.

The Ombudsman has not released copies of President Rodrigo Duterte's SALNs for 2018 and 2019, a departure from the practice of Martires' predecessors, who allowed the public to get hold of the copies of the SALNs of the previous presidents for transparency and accountability sake. Celerina Monte/DMS