Romualdez endorses 5 House measures supporting Duterte's anti-corruption drive

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez has endorsed an initial list of five proposed legislation to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to be included in the chamber's agenda in support of President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against corruption.

“We initially identified five anti-corruption measures and submitted these to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco for his consideration. Prioritizing the passage of these proposed laws can help boost President Rodrigo Duterte’s renewed efforts to curb graft and corruption in the government,” Romualdez, who chairs the House Committee on Rules, said in a statement.

“We hope that we can gear towards the passage of these bills before this year ends, or early next year,” he added.

The five measures that Romualdez endorsed are:

• House Bill 7230 seeking to augment the financial resources of the Office of the Ombudsman by giving it a 30% share in any property forfeited in favor of the State;
• House Bills 581 and 6003 requiring the inclusion of anti-corruption and governance education in the basic education and higher education curriculum, respectively;

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• House Bill 967 seeking to provide protection and benefits to persons who would report corrupt officials and would serve as witnesses for their prosecution; and
• House Bill 579 seeking to create the National Independent Commission Against Corruption as an attached agency of the Office of the Ombudsman

All these measures are currently pending at the committee level.

“These bills intend to combat red-tape, and graft and corruption in all fronts, starting from the education of our students, up to the support for informants and witnesses and the creation of a National Independent Commission Against Corruption,” Romualdez said.

"Upon instruction of the Speaker, we will back the swift passage of these timely bills in line with our commitment to support President Duterte’s order to investigate corruption in all levels of governance,” he added.

Last month, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the measure seeking to grant anti-red tape powers to the President to expedite the issuance of government permits and licenses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  —KBK, GMA News