Presidential bets relate corruption offers and how they dealt with them

The nine presidential aspirants present at CNN Philippines' debate on Sunday discussed how they dealt with bribery and corruption offers and how they have worked against corruption. 

To the question, "Has an instance of corruption happened under your watch, and how did you deal with it?" here are their answers:

Former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella

The former Foreign Affairs undersecretary said that a “well-dressed” man once came up to him and made an offer.

“I was about three weeks into my position as a presidential spokesperson when I went into a fast food restaurant and somebody came up to me, a very well dressed man. He said he was a businessman, and he made an offer. He said if you do this for me, I do that for you,” Abella said.

“I was really taken back and he asked for my number. I did not give my number. So that was it, basically. It was the first time I was confronted by this situation. It is a serious problem.”

Labor leader Leody De Guzman

Labor leader De Guzman said he had no experience of being offered bribes as he has not held any government position yet, and there have been no instances of the same in his organization. Still, if ever one attempts to bribe him, he said, he will certainly reject it.

"Kung mayroon mang mag-alok sa akin, sigurado ire-reject ko, pero sa hanay namin, walang ganyang kaso kaya nga hindi nangyayari sa aming hanay 'yang ganyang suhulan at di namin papayagan ang ganyang klase ng mga pagsusuhol dito sa aming hanay. Dahil hindi 'yan makakatulong sa pagpapaunlad ng aming organisasyon," De Guzman said.

If he wins in the presidential race, De Guzman warned that those who try to bribe him will be jailed.

"Makukulong 'yung mag-o-offer sa akin kaya huwag niyong gagawin,"he said.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso

Moreno said his city has lessened corruption in the city hall by limiting human transaction in government through the mobile application GOManila.com.

"Awa naman ng Diyos, tumaas ang income ng Maynila, naging episyente ang koleksyon, wala nang diskresyon halos," he said.

"Hindi perpekto, pero onti-onti, naturally, namamatay ang corruption sa city hall. And that can be done in the entire country, from Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon," he added.

The Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet also said he had removed the decades-long problem of corruption in Recto within 48 hours.

"Salamat sa mga taga Maynila, binigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon. Gone in 48 hours. Somebody tried and offered, nag pahatid P5 million a day. But awa naman ng Diyos, tatlong taon na hindi pa sila nakakabalik." he said.

Former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales

Gonzales said he has not received any bribery offers. He also said he would treat corruption as a systemic problem.

"Walang nagtangka na mag-o-offer sa atin... hindi ko alam kung bakit," he said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson

The senator, whose 2022 campaign centers on his anti-corruption advocacy, recalled his days in the Philippine National Police and even his years in the Senate.

“Ang isang talagang maipagmamalaki ko sa aking serbisyo publiko, ni minsan hindi ako  tumanggap ng suhol kapalit ng serbisyo publiko,” Lacson said.

The former PNP chief said he refused to take reward money from victims of kidnap for ransom whom they rescued.

He also recalled his days as provincial director of PNP-Laguna, at a time when a numbers game commonly known as “jueteng” was one of the major problems.

“Ang isang hamon talaga na ito’y very vivid sa akin. Nung ako ay maupo bilang provincial director sa lalawigan ng Laguna, siyempre may jueteng doon noong araw, nung 1992, ang intial offer 1.2 [million pesos], inakyat pa ng 1.8 [million pesos] para lang [to] look the other way,” he said.

Lacson also recalled one flag-raising ceremony where he told his subordinates to tie him to the flag pole and shoot him if he is reported receiving money from jueteng operators.

Lascon also brought up his long-term habit not to accept his pork barrel.

“Hanggang sa ako ay naging senador wala akong pork barrel, dahil ayoko mapagbintangan kasi nga and perception basta may pork barrel, siguradong may commission,” he said.

“Para kwentas klaras hindi ko kinuha ang aking pork barrel at nananatiling malinis ang aking kamay pagdating sa korapsyon,” he maintained.

Businessman Faisal Mangondato

Businessman Mangondato called for a new government system as corruption is prevalent among its different sectors.

The Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi’s presidential bet said corruption is involved every election, noting that it cannot be solved by the government.

“Tuwing eleksyon ay palaging nababanggit yung mga korupston sa ating lipunan na paulit ulit pabalik balik na hindi masolusyunan dito sa ating gobyerno saan mang sangay ng ating gobyerno ay nandyan ang korupsyon, mga kababayan ko dito sa Pilipinas itong problema sa korupsyon ay hinding hindi ito masosolusyunan hanggat nandito pa rin tayo sa lumang sistema,” Mangondato said.

“Palaging ito ang problema ng kahirapan dahilan ng kawalan ng trabahao dahil kulang ng pondo ang ating gobyerno dahil napupunta nakokorupt ang salapi na pagmamayari ng sambayanang Pilipino dahil po dito ay isang malaking sakit po sa lipunan ng ating pamahalaan ang korupsyon kailangan po tayo ay tumawid na sa bagong sistema upang masolusyunan ang korupsyon sa ating gobyerno,” he added.

Physician and lawyer Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr.

Montemayor pointed out his filing cases against corruption in health care management.

"Meron ba akong karanasan sa paglaban nito? Primary lawyer ako ng mga nagfa-file ng cases sa Ombudsman, laban sa corruption sa health care management," Montemayor said.

"Iyan ang main reason ko bakit ako narito, gusto ko tuparin iyong  sinabi sa akin ni Judge Gerona, I want you to cleanse the government," he added.

Senator Manny Pacquiao

The senator recalled a bribe attempt by Janet Napoles amid the P10-billion pork barrel scam during his first term as a congressman.

He said that someone once wanted to meet with him while he was training.

"Hindi ko siya kilala eh. 'Sino 'yung kakausap sa akin? Bakit ako kakausapin?' Sabi niya 'Ganito, ganiyan, 70% ibibigay sa'yo.' Sabi ko 'Huwag na kami mag-usap, baka masapak ko lang siya'," the boxing legend said.

"Kaya tumakbo ang inyong lingkod sa pagkapangulo dahil gusto kong tapusin ang corruption. Gusto kong tapusin ang cancer ng bansa natin na siyang nagpapahirap ng bansa natin, nagpapahirap sa sambayanang Pilipino," he added.

Vice President Leni Robredo

The Vice President said that when she was elected representative of Camarines Sur's third district, she made it clear she would not entertain bribery offers.

"Noong nanalo akong congressman, kinausap ko ang mga taga distrito ko, mga negosyante, na walang makikipag-usap sa akin tungkol sa kontrata, giving favors, special preference. Iyon ang pinakauna, kaya walang nag-attempt.
Hindi enough for a public official to be good, the system should force them to be good," she said.

"When I was in the House of Representatives, lahat ng panukala ko, anti-corruption. Full Disclosure bill, Freedom of Information, People Empowerment bill. Sa six years ng Office of the Vice President, I am proud to say, for three consecutive years, we got the highest COA rating, unqualified opinion. Iyan ang resibo na ayaw namin sa corruption," Robredo added.

Former senator Bongbong Marcos did not attend the debate.

— Anna Felicia Bajo, Hana Bordey, Joahna Lei Casilao, Richa Noriega, Llanesca T. Panti, Jamil Santos/BM, GMA News