Marcos should be first to undergo lifestyle check, congressmen say

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. should take the lead by subjecting himself to a lifestyle check following his order that all government officials undergo the same amid investigations into questionable infrastructure projects, several congressmen said Thursday.

In a joint statement, House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers party-list and House Assistant Minority Leader Renee Co of Kabataan party-list said a refusal by the President to undergo a lifestyle check would make his order hollow and potentially convey a lack of transparency.

"While we support genuine anti-corruption efforts, we demand that President Marcos lead by example and subject himself to the same scrutiny he demands from others. President Marcos should be the first one [to undergo lifestyle check] since he has confidential and intelligence funds and has control over the implementation of the entire budget as chief executive," Tinio said.

"The President cannot absolve himself from corruption investigations simply by subjecting others to the same process. As the chief executive who controls billions in confidential and intelligence funds with zero transparency requirements, Marcos bears ultimate responsibility for the culture of corruption that has flourished under his watch," Tinio added.

Malacañang earlier announced that Marcos ordered lifestyle checks on all officials, as the Chief Executive emphasized the need for continuous checking of records by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regarding the anomalous flood control projects.

President's family, Cabinet

In an online interview, Tinio said the lifestyle check ordered by the President should also cover not only the Chief Executive, but his family, his official Cabinet, and members of Congress.

"And let's also not forget that since pinangungunahan ni Pangulong Marcos ang isang supposed anti-corruption campaign, hindi po natin maaaring makalimutan na mayroon pang mga long-standing and outstanding ill-gotten wealth cases sa pamilyang Marcos mismo," Tinio said.

(And let's also not forget that since President Marcos is leading a supposed anti-corruption campaign, we must not forget that there are long-standing and outstanding ill-gotten wealth cases against the Marcos family.)

"Nalalantad na 'yung involvement ng mga legislators both in the Senate and the House. Tapos pati 'yung institusyon na inaasahan o ang tungkulin ay dapat bantayan ang paggamit ng pondo, whether that's COA (Commission on Audit) or the Ombudsman, may involvement din or sangkot, whether through the Ombudsman, na natutulog sa pansitan. So definitely, kailangan ng, tama lang na may lifestyle check sa lahat ng mga opisyal, lalo na 'yung mga pinakamataas," Tinio added.

(The involvement of legislators, both in the Senate and the House, are being revealed. Even the institutions that are counted upon regarding the use of funds, whether it's the COA or the Ombudsman, are also involved or remiss in their duties. So definitely, it just right that lifestyle checks are done on all officials, especially the highest officials.)

Tinio, however, noted that lifestyle checks are done, not by the agencies on their own officials, but by the National Bureau of Investigation or the Office of the Ombudsman.

Irony

Co, for her part, said the President and Vice President Sara Duterte should be the first ones to be subjected to lifestyle checks, starting with the disclosure of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

"We challenge President Marcos to publicly disclose his own Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), which he has consistently refused to make transparent," Co said.

Co said the ongoing flood control corruption issue reflects the systemic rot of an administration that prioritizes elite interests over public welfare.

"We note the irony of Marcos declaring 'Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa mga pagbaha' while his own family's ill-gotten wealth remains unaccounted for and his administration continues to burden the Filipino people with crushing debt and failed infrastructure projects," said Co.

The congresswoman referenced the President's message during his fourth State of the Nation Address to government officials who steal public funds, such as those for flood control projects. He warned that such personalities would be dealt with under the law.

"Hindi pwedeng mag-lifestyle check lang sa iba habang ang pinakamataas na opisyal ay nagtatago ng kanyang yaman at hindi transparent sa kanyang mga transaksyon," Co added.

(It's improper to conduct lifestyle checks on others while the country's highest official hides his wealth and is not transparent with his transactions.)

GMA News Online has requested comment from Malacañang regarding matter, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Back in September 2020, then Ombudsman Samuel Martires said he stopped conducting lifestyle checks on public officials, saying a lifestyle is not necessarily an indicator of corruption.

Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials provides that "public officials and employees and their families should lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income" and that "they should not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form."

Including the judiciary

One of the co-chairs of the House Infrastructure Committee that will investigate flood control and other infrastructure projects agree with the President's order.

When asked if the lifestyle check should also cover members of Congress, Bicol Saro party-list representative Terry Ridon, who chairs the House Committee on Public Account, replied, "I think wala naman hong problema na makaroon din po na lifestyle checks sa mga miyembro po ng Kongreso, miyembro po kahit ng hudikatura kasi kailangan naman po talagang all-encompassing. And more importantly, meron ho talagang mga expectations on all government officials, on all government employees na talaga naman pong dapat we should be able to lead and live modest lives."

(I don't think there will be a problem if lifestyle checks will be done on members of Congress or the judiciary because it has to be all-encompassing. And more importantly, there are expectations on all government officials, on all government employees that we should be able to lead and live modest lives.)

Other members of the House of Representatives agree with the conduct of a lifestyle check.

"Ako, I'm in favor of that. Kung nais ng Pangulong simulan sa DPWH, well and good. Pero kung kinakailangan, lahat. Sabi nga ni Congressman Terry Ridon, lahat 'yan pati judiciary," House Committee on Human Rights Chair Representative Bienvenido Abante of Manila 6th district said.

(I'm in favor of that. If the President wants to start with DPWH, well and good. But it has to include everyone. As Congressman Terry Ridon said, it has to include the judiciary.)

Seeking accountability

Batangas 1st district Representative Leandro Leviste, who recently filed charges against a Public Works district engineer for attempted bribery, also agrees with the conduct of a lifestyle check but says other measures would also be enforced.

"The lifestyle check is a very good idea. There's also other measures that I think will help if we could have more DPWH employees go on the record talking about how things are there. But I think the most important thing is that we can fix the upcoming projects from 2026 onwards as well," Leviste said in an interview.

"We should get accountability and ask for substandard projects to be rectified from the past, but we should also make sure that the upcoming projects of DPWH are done better," Leviste added.

When asked if the lifestyle check should also include legislators, Leviste replied, "I can only speak for the 1st District of Batangas where I can say all officials in the 1st District of Batangas should undergo a lifestyle check." — VDV, GMA Integrated News