Koko wants PCGG actions monitored amid Remulla's plan to expand its mandate

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Friday urged the public, including the media, to monitor the actions of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla expressed his intention to expand its mandate.

"We have to look at the actions of the PCGG because, of course... on paper, you can be given all the powers on paper. But then you are told to sleep, balewala lahat [all will be for naught]," he said in an ANC interview.

"So pag-aralan po natin 'yan [we'll look into it] and we will need probably the help of the media to also cover the PCGG and report on what its plans are, what actions they are taking, or have they been inactive. So we need the help of the media to supervise the new energized expanded PCGG on paper," he added.

Asked if the country should move on from the ill-gotten wealth issue of the Marcos family given the overwhelming votes President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. garnered in the May 2022 elections, Pimentel said elections cannot erase the crimes allegedly committed by the President's father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

"Because this involves criminal law, delikado po [that's dangerous]. I mean, crimes are not forgiven through elections," he said.

Pimentel, a lawyer, said only administrative infractions could be forgiven.

"Maybe ang ruling ng Supreme Court na meron nafo-forgive, if you have administrative infraction. Kung meron kang mga reporting na hindi ginawa, may violation ka ng mga administrative regulations. Pero pagdating po sa crime hindi po kasi parang naging superjury ang electorate natin. Hindi po [ganoon]," he said.

(Maybe if the Supreme Court rules on forgiveness, it will only cover administrative infractions such as negligence in reporting, violations of administrative regulations. But in terms of crimes, it can't be because it will appear that the electorate has become a superjury. It doesn't go that way.)

"For as long as there is still from investigation of the original PCGG up to the current PCGG, from their investigation, there are still ill-gotten wealth out there, they should pursue it. That is their mandate," he added.

In an ambush interview Thursday, Remulla said they do not plan to abolish the PCGG but he has suggested creating an asset forfeiture office for the assets seized by the government for non-payment of taxes, drug-trafficking or other crimes.

"We should have a central office where all the assets are deposited so that these can be properly accounted for," he said.

Remulla admitted that the PCGG issue is "very sensitive" as it is "an office created by law and by history to run after the family of our President."

In a separate press conference, Malacañang said there is no policy yet on expanding the mandate of the PCGG.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles was asked if expanding the mandate of the commission is also the direction of the Marcos administration following Remulla's proposal.

"Since it is Secretary Remulla who has made the proposal, we'll have to wait for him to bring it up. Right now there is no policy," she said.

Asked about the concern that the PCGG would be abolished under the Marcos administration, Cruz-Angeles said: "We don't respond to speculation."

The PCGG was established in 1986 by then-President Corazon Aquino to recover the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by the Marcoses and their relatives, subordinates, and close associates. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK/AOL, GMA News