Faced with monumental task, Guevarra hopes to produce 'something' in next couple of months

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, whom President Rodrigo Duterte has given the enormous task of probing corruption in the entire government, targets to bring out some results in the next couple of months.

“We are hoping in the next couple of months we'll be able to produce something as a sign that the task force is actually doing its job,” Guevarra said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday.

Guevarra made the statement when asked if the public can expect cases against corrupt officials, as well as their dismissal and imprisonment, amid the task force's investigation.

In a taped public address aired on Tuesday, Duterte ordered the inter-agency task force led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate corruption in the entire government.

Guevarra said DOJ senior officials held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the new directive.

“Kahapon, nagtawag na agad ako ng meeting ng mga senior officials ng Department of Justice—ang aming mga undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, chief state council, prosecutor general, head ng attached agency namin na in charge sa investigation, that's the National Bureau of Investigation,” he said.

According to Guevarra, the task force will include constitutional bodies and commissions that are already part of the task force that probed alleged anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“Ang gagamitin naming core member agencies dito sa task force na ito, na bibigyan pa namin ng bagong pangalan, ay 'yung kasama rin namin sa task force PhilHealth,” he said.

He identified them as the NBI, Office of Special Assistant to the President, National Prosecution Service, Anti-Red Tape Authority, Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, and Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Guevarra said the task force will establish the investigation from COA reports, investigative media reports, congressional inquiries, and complaints from concerned citizens.

On Tuesday, Guevarra said Duterte's order for him to investigate corruption in the entire  government is the "toughest" assignment he has received from him. —KBK, GMA News