Pacquiao claims corruption in three gov't agencies
By Robina Asido
Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao revealed on Saturday alleged corruption at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Energy (DOE).
In his virtual press conference, Pacquiao said 1.3 million beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program of the DSWD have not yet received their cash assistance.
Stacks of papers were piled in his table as Pacquiao faced reporters in a rare press conference. These, said Pacquiao, contain reports of alleged corruption which President Rodrigo Duterte ordered him to produce to back up the senator's claims.
"This is now the problem Mr. President, why among the 1.8 million SAP beneficiaries from Star Pay, only 500,000 people downloaded the app (application), to those who do not know the beneficiaries cannot withdraw their cash assistance if you fail to download the Star Pay app,'' said Pacquiao in a Zoom press conference.
''My question is what happened to the 1.3 million people who did not download the Star Pay app but the record shows that they already received their cash assistance," he said.
"Mr. President this is just one of (anomalies that) I have discovered... three days after I accepted your challenge, you should not get angry at me because I only want to help you and I know that you want to end corruption. This is what I want to ask the DSWD. Where did this 10.4 billion pesos cash assistance go?," Pacquiao added.
Pacquiao also revealed the name of a private company who allegedly earned billions in the power sector.
"From every kilowatt hour that is being paid by the Filipino people in their electricity bill there is an almost 50 centavo that goes to a private company which was built with the paid up capital of 7,000 pesos," he said.
"The company called Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) gained billions of pesos after they were given by the DOE a power as an independent electricity market operator. The contract was given to IEMOP without undergoing the bidding process," Pacquiao noted.
"It became an instant billion peso company in just one year," he added.
Pacquiao did not elaborate on the alleged corruption in the Department of Health but he claimed it includes the agency's acquisition of medicines that are nearing its expiration dates.
"In the DOH there are a lot of issues. First is the procurement of nearly expiring medicines. There are more and I will reveal that at the right time," he said.
As he made his revelation, Pacquiao said he is just trying to help Duterte in his fight against corruption in the government.
Pacquiao said his findings will be sent to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. DMS
