Anti-corruption task force may file raps before yearend: DOJ

FILE: Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra announces during a press briefing in Malacañang that the Department of Science and Technology has recorded a total of 8,994 qualified students for their scholarship programs for this year. He added that the number of qualified students this year is a 69.6 percent increase from the 5,303 qualifiers in 2015. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said that initial charges arising from the investigations of the task force against corruption (TFAC) may be filed before the year ends.

“The mechanism for the efficient operations of the TFAC is in place and is now processing complaints and reports on corruption. we may be able to file a couple of formal charges within the month,” Guevarra said in a message to newsmen.

Guevarra said the task force became fully operational last December 1.

“(B)ut we started receiving complaints and reports shortly after the President had directed the DOJ to create the task force,” he said.

The task force earlier said it has set parameters to determine which allegations would be considered.

A minimum threshold of PHP1 billion in public funds involved will be one of these parameters.

On top of the list of the task force are allegations of irregularities in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Land Registration Authority.

Aside from the DOJ, the task force is also composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Special Assistant to the President, National Prosecution Service, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

The task force also works with the Commission on Audit, the Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman, with due consideration of their independence as constitutional bodies.

It has also announced plans regarding the possible deployment of resident ombudsmen from the DOJ and COA in corruption-prone government offices.