DOJ willing to take over PCGG's responsibilities — De Lima

January 2, 2013 4:18pm

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday said her office is willing to "assume" the responsibilities of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) if ever Congress succeeded in having it abolished.


"If it's the DOJ (Department of Justice) na kailangang i-transfer, then we can always assume that kung ganun nga ang plano," De Lima said. "Kung may mga residual pa na mga dapat gawin ang PCGG, it has to be taken over by a competent office or competent authority."

The PCGG is a quasi-judicial body created under the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino to recover the wealth illegally acquired during the regime of her predecessor, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

De Lima's statement came following the filing of House Bill 4049 that seeks to transfer to the DOJ the powers and functions of investigations and prosecution of criminal cases exercised by the PCGG. The civil cases, meanwhile, will be handled by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.


The bill's explanatory note said the PCGG "has not produced significant accomplishments that would justify its continued existence" since it was created more than two decades ago.

The bill was jointly introduced by Leyte Rep. Sergio Apostol and Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo.

De Lima agreed that the PCGG has not produced the full results expected of it.

"Kailangang i-review 'yung mga naging performance and saan nagkulang. Saan 'yung mga lapses kung bakit some on the big cases ay hindi nakapag-achieve ng favorable ruling o in other words hindi na-recover," she said.

"Certain people who were supposed to be held accountable for amassing those ill-gotten wealth ay hindi naman pinapanagot," she admitted.

The PCGG, which used to be under the Office of the President, is now under the DOJ based on Executive Order 643 issued in July 2007 by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. — Mark D. Merueñas/KBK, GMA News