IBON scoffs at looming cases vs. Martin Romualdez

A development policy research group on Tuesday questioned the Marcos administration’s anti-corruption drive following the announcement that cases would be filed against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, IBON Foundation executive director Sonny Africa said only a fraction of those allegedly involved in corruption have so far been charged.

“Ayun na ba yung pasabog? Kasi hindi pa umabot ng 5% yung dapat kasuhan. Tapos sasabihin niya pasabog yung sa pinsan,” he said.

(Is that the big bombshell? Because the number of those who should be charged hasn't even reached 5%. And then he claims that the one involving his cousin is a bombshell.)

“Kasi hindi niya pwedeng sabihin na pasulong yung kanyang anti-corruption na kampanya.... Kung pagkatapos ng isang taon, hindi pa umabot ng 50 ang nakakasuhan, hindi pa aabot ng 5% ng lahat ng sangkot sa korapsyon,” Africa added.

(Because he cannot say that his anti-corruption campaign is moving forward... If after a year, fewer than 50 people have been charged, that would still be less than 5% of all those involved in corruption.)

During his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Marcos highlighted the charges filed against several officials, lawmakers, and contractors following his disclosure of alleged corruption in flood control projects during last year’s SONA.

Marcos also said the Office of the Ombudsman was preparing to file multiple cases against his cousin, former House Speaker Romualdez.

In response, Romualdez said he had never asked Marcos for any favor or special treatment.

IBON Foundation, however, argued that some of the “big fish” allegedly linked to corruption had escaped accountability.

“So hindi ito usapin ng mga big fish na nakalusot. May mga big fish diyan na binigyan ng bagong pwesto sa banko, ginawa pang presiding officer sa Senado. So medyo maraming nakalusot,” Africa said.

(So this isn't just about big fish who managed to slip away. There are big fish who were given new positions in a bank, while another was even made the presiding officer of the Senate. So quite a few have managed to escape accountability.)

Yes. I’d make one small change: “flood control corruption” sounds slightly awkward. Better:

Africa did not identify the individuals he was referring to, nor did he elaborate on their alleged involvement in corruption linked to flood control projects. — MCG, GMA News