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PRESIDENTIAL ANTI-GRAFT COMMISSION (PAGC)

PRESS RELEASE

August 10, 2007 

WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH SMALL FRY- PAGC CHAIR 

‘The Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) is not dealing with kilos of small fry. We are dealing with tons of big fishes sanctioned in the past two years,’ PAGC Chair Constancia de Guzman clarifies amidst perception that only small fry are being penalized by the Commission and high ranking public officials are getting off the hook. 

‘No big-time grafters are being spared in our campaign against graft and corruption. The facts of the case will determine the outcome of our investigations,’ De Guzman added.  

Per PAGC’s mandate under Executive Order No. 12, series of 2001, as amended, ‘small fishes’ are not covered by the Commission because it only investigates presidential appointees with salary grade 26 (SG 26) up, or from assistant regional director up to department secretaries.    

PAGC also explains that it only covers the administrative aspect of the case and endorses or files the criminal aspect to the Department of Justice or to the Office of the Ombudsman. 

“It is not fair to look for prosecution on our end. We are not a quasi-judicial body. What we can do is to recommend for the suspension, dismissal and imposition of accessory penalties, which includes forfeiture of leave credits and retirement benefits, cancellation of eligibility and disqualification for reemployment in the government service, to the respondent,’ the Anti-Graft Chair said. 

Based on records, from 2004 to July 2007, PAGC’s efforts against graft and corruption have resulted to the dismissal of 15 high-ranking government officials. Scrutiny of the records will show that based on the recommendation of the Commission, the Office of the President sacked 1 undersecretary, 2 assistant secretaries, 1 chairman, 1 president, 1 commissioner, 7 regional directors and 2 assistant regional directors and suspended 5, imposed accessory penalties to 1 and reprimanded 1, officials.  

Due to the additional funding given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under the P1B anti-corruption fund, PAGC further beefed up its investigative capability and by the end of the first half of 2007 resolved and submitted 31 cases carrying punitive (disciplinary) recommendations to the Office of the President. This is a clear manifestation of unceasing fervor to fight corruption as PAGC was able to tremendously surpass its 2006 accomplishment. PAGC resolved 31 cases carrying punitive recommendation in the entire year of 2006.  

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