An official of the Department of Justice on Wednesday revealed the Task Force Against Corruption had received close to 100 complaints involving alleged graft and corruption in the government since it was activated last October 27.
Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said as of December 1, the DOJ’s Action Center had received 35 complaints while the Secretariat, through the Office of the Secretary, had received 63, or a total of 98 complaints.
“However, some of the complaints received pertain to the same subject so this could be further reduced,” Villar stressed.
Villar, who now serves as DOJ spokesperson, said members of the inter-agency task force have been holding meetings to finalize the set-up of their Operations Center during the past weeks to make the newly formed TFAC fully operational.
Last Tuesday, the members of the TFAC’s Operating Center met to discuss its functions and the units under it, such as the secretariat and records custodian, Operations Center Information System, the Operations Center Evaluation Committee, special investigation teams (SITs), and the system of filing and receiving.
“Once the department order detailing the duties and functions is issued, it will be fully operational,” Villar explained.
According to her, the department order will be issued in the coming week, but she admitted that it would depend on the comments of the task force members who are also set to have another meeting.
The TFAC, headed by the DOJ, would be composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Special Assistant to the President, National Prosecution Service, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
It would also invite the COA, the Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman, but with due consideration of their independence as constitutional bodies.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said they had received many complaints concerning the Department of Public Works and Highways-related projects.
The task force has identified the government agencies it would prioritize in its corruption probe, namely DPWH, the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Immigration, and the Land Registration Authority.