President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a copy of the the 3rd State Conference Resolution of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) from Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace Tuesday (December 15). Also in photo are Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. UNCAC is an international anti-corruption treaty ratified, accepted, approved and acceded to by 177 countries. (Photo by Rey Baniquet / Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau / PCOO)
MANILA, Philippines — The three branches of government will continue to push measures supporting the government’s campaign against corruption.
In her report at the third annual state conference on United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno recounted that in the previous years, they have been able to execute reforms that aim to eliminate corruption in the judiciary system.
One of them is to expedite the process of resolving court cases.
Sereno explained that simple cases should be resolved within six months and the complicated ones should not go beyond two years.
Justice Sereno also said that to show their strong intention to eliminate corruption, the Supreme Court had given disciplinary actions to 36 magistrates; 116 court personnel and 136 lawyers.
“I continue to appeal to our people to come forward with complaints and evidence to ensure that we have benched bar that adhere to highest standards if ethics and professionalism, we in the Supreme Court cannot do this alone, we need your help and support,” CJ Sereno said.
Meanwhile the House leadership reported that several significant bills have been passed in line with transparency and accountability in the government.
House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said, “These and the proposed amendments to the Salary Standardization Act which has been passed by the House and the Senate will improve their competitive advantages vis-a-vis the private sector counterparts and hopefully curtail the incidence of corruption in the bureaucracy.”
Senate President Franklin Drilon further said that they are set to submit to President Aquino next month the proposed modernization of the Bureau of Customs; since it is the government agency that is very prone to corruption.
It can be recalled that in 2013, the Philippines had lost about 200 billion pesos due to smuggling.
Sen. Drilon said, “Last night Mr. President, the Senate tasked the Customs and Tariff Modernization Act which will fully automate and make transparent customs procedure to curb smuggling and illegal activities in our ports and airports.”
For her part, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said there are still a lot of challenges ahead for the agency to completely curb corrupt officials in the government.
“The next years will be crucial, they will be fraught with challenges that is to be expected because the chain of corruption is fortified by corrupt people who act with impunity but I believe that we are made of sterner stuff and we are uncompromising and unyielding unified against corruption.”
For his part, President Aquino maintains the continued the fight against corruption which has been his number one policy since he was elected in office as president of the country.
“I stand here today in commitment: until the very last day of my term, we will strive to do even more against corruption and to uplift as many of our countrymen as possible, and we encourage our colleagues from the legislature and the Judiciary to continue doing the same,” President Benigno Aquino III said. (NEL MARIBOJOC / UNTV News)
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