Marcos Administration Faces Accusations Over Budget Corruption
Officials reported that the Marcos administration is attempting to evade accountability following Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s recent statement targeting the House of Representatives. Bersamin accused the House of shifting blame for its own corruption and failures related to the budget process. This move, sources said, is a clear attempt by the Marcos administration to deflect responsibility amid growing concerns over government corruption.
The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) emphasized that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains principally accountable for the worsening corruption in the government. Community members noted that the ongoing dispute between Malacañang and the House of Representatives over the Department of Public Works and Highways budget is essentially a power struggle among reactionary elites fighting for control over public funds.
Executive Secretary’s Sharp Reproach Sparks Controversy
On Saturday, Bersamin released a strongly worded statement accusing certain House members of attempting to shift the blame for their own corruption and shortcomings onto the executive branch. This marked the first time the Executive branch openly criticized the House of Representatives under the current administration, local leaders observed.
However, community advocates argue that this is merely a tactic by the administration to wash its hands of systemic corruption. They pointed out that issues such as the pork barrel system, unprogrammed appropriations, and massive contractor-driven projects have persisted under Marcos’ leadership.
Systemic Corruption Under Marcos’ Watch
Since assuming office in 2022, President Marcos has had access to sufficient confidential funds to scrutinize and verify the line item budgets submitted by various agencies and eventually the Department of Budget and Management, sources explained. Despite this, corruption continues to thrive.
Amid ongoing investigations into anomalous flood control projects where favored contractors reportedly collected billions in government funds, CenPEG stressed that these schemes could not have prospered without the approval of Malacañang. Reports from investigative groups further reveal the deep entanglement between private business interests and the Marcos administration, especially concerning projects linked to the President’s own family.
Calls to End Parliamentary Courtesy in Budget Deliberations
With budget discussions scheduled to resume this week, CenPEG urged the House committee on appropriations to reject the tradition of parliamentary courtesy. This practice typically allows the budget of the Office of the President to be submitted to the plenary with minimal scrutiny, officials noted.
The group insists that more rigorous oversight is essential to prevent the continuation of corruption and to hold all branches of government accountable for their roles in managing public funds.
For more news and updates on budget corruption, visit Filipinokami.com.
