The Philippines is at “moderate risk” for corruption in defense and security institutions, according to a report by a London-based organization.
The country scored 55/100 in Transparency International’s Government Defence Integrity Index (GDI).
The GDI assessed the quality of 77 countries’ institutional controls to manage the risk of corruption in defense and security institutions.
The Philippines ranked in the C or moderate-risk tier, alongside Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the US.
“Institutional resilience to corruption is modest across the Philippines’ defense institutions,” the report read.
“Oversight of policy-making and procurement by parliament is particularly weak and transparency remains limited throughout the sector, including with regards to financial management,” it added.
Corruption risk mitigation was “relatively robust” in military operations, the report noted.
In a statement, acting Palace spokesman Karlo Nograles credited President Rodrigo Duterte’s “zero tolerance against allegations of official malfeasance.”
The Philippines tallied moderate risks in political (50/100), financial (60/100), personnel (59/100), operational (53/100) and procurement (53/100) categories.
Only New Zealand ranked in the A tier with “very low” corruption risk. John Ezekiel J. Hirro