The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) wants Sen. Manny Pacquiao to submit documents proving his claims of corruption across government agencies, branding his allegations “inconclusive.”
PACC Chairman Greco Belgica said on July 5 the documents would allow the commission to review the senator’s charges and check if these were already under investigation.
“Di na po kami nagulat dito. Ang gusto lang po naming malaman at inaantay ay ‘yong detalye ng mga dokumentong dala-dala po niya para mapag-aralan kung ito ba ay kasali na do’n sa mga iniimbestigahan namin or bago dito. Pero as of the moment, wala pa ho akong bago narinig,” Belgica said in a Laging Handa government briefing.
(We were not surprised by these allegations. What we want to know are the details of his documents to review if these are already included in our investigations. But as of the moment, these are not new.)
The anti-corruption commissioner said it would be difficult to investigate without any proof.
“Di pa conclusive ‘yong inilabas ni Senator Manny dahil ang pagkakaintindi ko ay [ipapasa niya pa sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee] para maimbestigahan at bibigyan din daw po ng kopya ang PACC para maimbestigahan, so ibig sabihin wala pang imbestigasyon dito,” Belgica said.
(What Senator Manny put out is inconclusive because as I understand he still needs to pass the documents to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the PACC for investigation, so it means there is no investigation happening now.)
The boxer-turned-senator left the country on July 3 to train in the United States in preparation for his match in August against unified WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.
“Di ko malaman kung paano mag-iimbestiga dahil wala siya. Mahirap po dahil siya ang proponent ng mga issues na ‘to. So sino tatanungin namin sa mga issues niya?” Belgica asked.
(I don’t know how to probe into these without him. It is difficult because he is the proponent of these issues. So who will we ask?)
Before leaving, Pacquaio claimed there were irregularities in the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Energy, in addition to his previous allegations against the Department of Health.
Belgica said the PACC was probing four cases against the DSWD, including the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), and nine cases against the DOH. Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring