Palace urges Filipinos: Report illegal acts committed by public officials

The Malacañang Palace (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Malacañang urged the Filipino people on Wednesday to participate in ensuring accountability of public officials.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. issued the statement in reaction to a newspaper column alleging that a former top police officer received about a billion pesos in casino earnings for sports development from January 2012 to June 2015.

“If they are aware of improper or illegal acts committed by public officials, and have the necessary proof, they can bring these matters to the attention of the Office of the Ombudsman for proper assessment,” Coloma said.

He said under the existing laws, the Ombudsman is empowered to prosecute cases of graft and corruption against senior government officials.

The Palace official noted that financial transactions of government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), are subject to audit by the Commission on Audit (COA).

“Public office is a public trust and public officials are accountable for their actions,” he said.