MANILA — The Marcos government is nearing the "endgame" of its fight against corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects, the Presidential Communications Office said Wednesday as it cited wins and reforms in various areas.
PCO Secretary Dave Gomez said they are seeing progress in three important areas in their response to the flood relief scandal, including holding corrupt officials to account, recovering unlawfully acquired wealth, and implementing reforms in government systems.
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"All those three areas, we're seeing a lot of progress, that's why we're confident we are nearing the endgame," Gomez told ANC.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "is not blinking at all from all this political noise. And he will finish this to its logical conclusion," he said.
"Now, cases are being filed, arrest warrants issued, we are seeing people being put to jail, at sabi ng Pangulo, marami pa bago mag-Pasko."
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Gomez touted the auction of luxury vehicles, the return of millions of pesos to the government, and the launch of the transparency portal of the public works agency.
He also said that Congress agreed to open the bicameral conference meetings where alleged insertions had been made.
"Hopefully, we are seeing, nearing the endgame very soon," he said.
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'BIG FISH,' ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY LAW
As the Marcos government announces successes in its corruption crackdown, some criticize the administration for failing to catch what they call the "big fish" in the flood control controversy.
Kiko Aquino Dee, one of the organizers of the Trillion Peso March, said Monday that the path of government investigations into the infrastructure mess seemed to focus on "relatively minor government officials and contractors."
"It's a little worrisome that when it comes to these … big fish, the government seems to be tentative as far as their commitment to investigating them," he told ANC.
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Activists and other sectors also call on lawmakers to pass a bill prohibiting political dynasties, which many consider to be the "root of all corruption."
The 1987 Constitution mandates the government to pass an anti-political dynasty bill, but legislators have never come close to passing an enabling law.
Political dynasties, especially "fat" dynasties, have been tied to procurement-related corruption, Sen. Risa Hontiveros has said, citing studies.
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