It is also part of the administration’s intensified anti-corruption campaign.
During the press briefing at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, August 27, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered lifestyle checks on government officials.
“Ongoing din ang investigation ng pamahalaan upang matukoy ang mga nasa likod ng mga proyektong dapat sana ay makakatulong na solusyon ng malawakang pagbaha sa bansa,” Castro said.
Castro explained that the directive also signals oversight agencies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and local government units (LGUs) to intensify their own inquiries.
“Sa ginagawa pong pag-iimbistiga ng Pangulo dito at ito naman po ay hudyat na rin po para sa ibang mga government agencies like COA, BIR, LGUs, Bureau of Customs, na magkaroon po ng pag-iimbestiga rito,” she noted.
Castro also furthered that these lifestyle checking will initially focus on DPWH officials allegedly linked to anomalous projects, but might extend to others involved.
The official said, “Sa bawat ahensya mayroon naman po na puwedeng magkaroon ng lifestyle check.”
“So ito pong pag-iimbestiga ng Pangulo ay hudyat sa bawat ahensiya na gawin din nila ang kanilang trabaho upang mag-imbestiga po rito,” Castro added.
Usec. Castro also shared that they have seen some personalities with luxury cars, and told, “Malamang dapat makita din ito po ng BOC kung ito po ba ay bayad sa mga taxes na required.”
As part of the crackdown on corruption, the admin vowed to protect no one, even those considered as their “allies.”
She said, “Walang sisinuhin, walang malapit sa puso, walang kaalyado. Kung sino man ang involved dito, sasampahan ng kaso.”
As of 9:00 a.m. on August 27, the Palace said that it has already received at least 9,020 reports concerning flood control projects, including those that were sent through the ‘Sumbong Sa Pangulo’ website.
To date, President Marcos has personally inspected 11 flood control projects in Marikina, Iloilo, Bulacan, and Benguet, which were all from the complaints that they received on the portal.
Castro also urged the public to continue reporting questionable public infrastructure projects.