THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to “fulfill his promise of getting rid of corruption under his term.”
Dante Jimenez, VACC founding chairperson, said they welcomed Singapore’s hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit that would tackle the issue for a “corrupt-free Asean.”
“All pledges of support in the projected gains of the country host of the Asean will not succeed and be realized to benefit our people if corruption in the bureaucracy will still persist and remain unchecked and unpunished,” he told the Manila Standard.
Speaking before the 140th anniversary of the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association Inc. last June, Duterte renewed his commitment to get rid of the corruption in the government under his six-year term, which ends in 2022.
In his second State of the Nation Address in July, the President vowed to continue his promise to wipe out illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.
VACC said the Duterte administration must not only remove from their posts corrupt government officials, but charges must be filed, too.
According to Jimenez, the House of Representatives must back the reimposition of death penalty for heinous crimes and plunder.
“Congress must fast-track the passage of the death penalty return if it [really] wants to help the President succeed [in his fight against corruption],” he said, adding “especially with the international support during the 31st Asean Summit against crime, illegal drugs and corruption.”
He called on the lawmakers to reduce the threshold amount for the charge of plunder, a non-bailable offense, from P50 million to P10 million only.