PCGG vows no let-up in fight vs graft, corruption

By Lito Dar

BAGUIO CITY -- The Presidential Commission on Good Government has facilitated recovery of over P93 billion of ill-gotten wealth and 291 cases pending in court which involved about P232 billion since its establishment in 1986 up to June 30,2011.

This was reported by PCGG Commissioner Maita Chan-Gonzaga, in a public forum on good governance last week in partnership with the St. Louis University Department of Political Science - School of Humanities.

Gonzaga also reported that the commission worked for the recovery and transfer to the Department of Agrarian Reform 1,650 hectares of agricultural land distributed to farmer beneficiaries in Cavite and Laguna, while another 1,407 hectares had been transferred to the provincial government of Biliran Province.

In addition, PCGG also worked for the recovery/surrender of 17 other assets with a total estimated value of over P15 Billion, which the government is now pushing for privatization or to open for public bidding.

Among other accomplishments reported by Gonzaga were the PCGG's thrust to recover the Coco Levy Fund, which as of August 31, 2011, already had about P90 billion in assets, and the setting up of a P10 billion fund for human rights victims during the Marcos regime.

She said commission had been supporting the enactment of the long-pending Human Rights Compensation bill in Congress.

Aside from its continuing quest and court battles in recovering ill-gotten wealth, Gonzaga also assured PCGG’s full support to the Good Governance Framework of the President Benigno Aquino III or the President’s Social Contract to the Filipino people.

Gonzaga said under the leadership of PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista, the commission already started its anti-corruption drive inside the PCGG itself and has also put up reforms including austerity and cost cutting measures.

The public forum was in line with the Commission’s commemoration of its 25th anniversary, which it celebrated in 2011 with the theme, ‘Closing Chapters, Finding a Way Forward”.

The PCGG also opened a commemorative exhibit inside the SLU campus during said event.

The activities aimed to offer the public a road map of the commission’s, functions, history and legacy.

In the forum, Gonzaga was joined by Commissioner Nelson Acebo, who talked about good governance and on what the public can do in line with the country’s fight against corruption.