Marcos eliminates anti-corruption commission in first presidential decree

Manila, Jul 7 (EFE).- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., eliminated Thursday the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, responsible for monitoring and investigating possible government corruption crimes in his first presidential decree after being sworn into the charge last week.

In an executive order published Thursday, signed Jun. 30, the president’s office said the closure of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission seeks a “correct allocation of public resources” and to avoid “duplicity of organizations” in the country.

The commission was created in 2017 by former president Rodrigo Duterte to curb corruption cases in institutions, organizations and public officials in high positions of the Philippine government. Between 2019 and 2020, the agency investigated hundreds of cases and concluded more than 70 of them.

The institution was consulted by EFE, but did not want to comment on the cessation of its activities.

Marcos Jr, son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was elected last May after sweeping polarized elections. His victory has raised doubts among specialists about the maintenance of the anti-corruption policy carried out by his predecessor, since the Marcos family itself faces more than 40 civil lawsuits.

He also accumulates a series of convictions for tax crimes and corruption.

Voices critical of the government have said they’re concerned about the future of the Presidential Commission for Good Government, created in 1986 after the fall of the Marcos Sr. regime. It was made to recover the alleged illicit fortune accumulated by the family during his government between 1965 and 1986.

The commission has so far recovered some $ 3.6 billion over 36 years, although its budget languished along with its support during the term of Duterte, an ally of Marcos Jr..

During the electoral campaign, Marcos Jr. said he would not eliminate the commission, but would seek to have it go on to investigate not only the cases of corruption in the Marcos family, but also among “all” those involved in bribery or embezzlement scandals. EFE

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