By Fernan Angeles
A TOP Palace official is supporting the decision of Ombudsman Samuel Martires to stop lifestyle checks on government officials and employees, amid many other ways to prove allegations of corruption.
In a television interview, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he understands Martires’ position given that corrupt officials could “pretend to have modest lives even if they have trillions and billions of ill-gotten wealth.”
“As a lawyer, mukhang tama po si Ombudsman kasi napakadali pong magtago ng ill-gotten wealth. Ngayon they could live modest lives, they could use dummies for their bank deposits.”
Roque added Martires may have something else in mind, apparently referring to an effective enforcement of the anti-money laundering law.
“I think what he considers as more important would be [the] enforcement of the anti-money laundering law because that’s really the best way to determine if one’s income as a government employee can justify his assets that are hidden,” he said.
Aside from Roque, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also believes a lifestyle check is not conclusive in determining whether or not a government official is engaged in dubious means for personal gains.
He said a lifestyle check “has to be intertwined with a much deeper process of investigating specific acts of corruption or other crimes.”