Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24) — President Rodrigo Duterte insisted he cannot investigate lawmakers linked to alleged corruption despite his government-wide crackdown on corrupt practices.
He said he has no jurisdiction over members of Congress due to separation of powers. This is in contrast to his previous statements linking opposition senators to several controversies.
“I have no business investigating congressmen. They belong to a separate organ of government which is co-equal to the President,” Duterte said during his weekly address on Monday.
The President made the clarification after he mentioned that he had received a list from Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chief Greco Belgica of congressmen who allegedly ask commissions from contractors. He refused to name those in the list since it is outside his powers, adding he will send the names to the Ombudsman for investigation.
“If I cannot investigate the congressmen, then I have no authority to be releasing their names that they are involved or under investigation by the PACC,” he argued.
[Translation: I have no other recourse, I will give it to the Ombudsman because it is the only investigating agency that has jurisdiction over congressmen.]
In the past, Duterte alleged Senator Leila de Lima funded her senatorial bid in 2016 using money from the illegal drug trade. His administration pursued cases against De Lima, who has been detained since 2017 on what she decribed as fabricated evidence. Duterte also lengthily spoke against Senator Franklin Drilon during his State of the Address, claiming he had a hand in the crafting of a supposed “onerous” water deal in 1997. He also linked former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to alleged anomalous contracts in the Philippine Navy. The lawmakers, who are staunch critics of the Duterte administration, have denied the President’s allegations.
Duterte said the drive to rid the government of corruption continues. He boasted that nearly 300 government officials and employees have been sacked due to graft and corruption, reading the names of Bureau of Internal Revenue employees who were among those dismissed.
