The Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US Embassy in Manila, the Asia Foundation, and key officials and stakeholders from the Philippine law enforcement sector marked the 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day with an initiative to reinvigorate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to fight corruption and explore ways to scale up anti-corruption efforts in the sector.
“Anti-Corruption in Philippine Law Enforcement: A forum-webinar” was held on December 13. It gathered key officials from law enforcement and related agencies to examine issues, gaps, and measures undertaken to fight corruption within the sector and share best practices and strategies in combating corruption.
The forum gathered 55 participants from 22 law enforcement and related agencies. The participating agencies raised the value of creating or strengthening interagency anti-corruption bodies to institute coordinated response to corruption issues that cut across the law enforcement sector.
Sam Chittick, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation in the Philippines said: “Law enforcement agencies in the Philippines are key partners in addressing corruption in government offices. There are effective programs and internal mechanisms on corruption prevention and education in the country’s law enforcement agencies and we would like to highlight these. We see a potential in boosting and scaling up anti-corruption efforts in the law enforcement sector.”
He added that various channels should be envisaged to thresh out issues in corruption and trigger reflections—both from a sectoral perspective and on the level of the individual agencies—as to how key actors can optimize current mechanisms, seek inspiration from local and international best practices, and draw actionable steps to strengthen the fight against corruption in the law enforcement sector.
“Combating corruption enhances stability, augments the rule of law, supports human rights and democracy, amongst many benefits. Corruption is best addressed when countries share a common vision and a strong commitment to taking effective steps to prevent and prosecute corruption,” said Kelia Cummins, Director of the Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US Embassy in the Philippines.
Cummins also referred to the US Strategy on Countering Corruption, which highlights the importance of interagency cooperation in anti-corruption.
US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Heather Variava, in a video message reaffirmed the US commitment to working with partner countries, including the Philippines, to uphold international norms, develop best practices, and strengthen government institutions to promote good governance, transparency, and accountability.
“Corruption is a global phenomenon requiring global solutions. It erodes the trust of citizens in public institutions, impedes economic and social development, and weakens democracy. Corruption also fuels discontent, contributes to instability, and facilitates crime, conflict, and violence,” Variava said.
The keynote speaker was Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang who spoke of key issues and concerns in corruption and law enforcement to frame the discussion for the whole day. She said corruption poses great challenges to law enforcement in the discovery of crimes, investigation of cases, identification of witnesses, gathering of evidence and prosecuting cases.
“Credibility is vital to the success of any interest to rid ourselves of corruption. To have any hope of effectively combating corruption and initiating a culture of outrage at the same, the key officials of government, we ourselves, must endeavor to be models of integrity, competence, and dedication. An effective campaign for good governance to be sustainable must consist of periodic checks to ensure that persons in positions of authority consistently exhibit good leadership by example,” said Cabotaje-Tang.
“We must make a conscious move towards inculcating a corruption free culture in our agencies by instilling a sense of outrage at its occurrence, rather than acceptance of the same. We must ensure that there are tougher mechanisms for the reporting and filing of complaints that do not place the burden on the whistle-blower,” she added.
Other speakers included Atty. Kirbee Tibayan, National Programme Officer at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Atty. Michael Tiu Jr., Research Consultant of The Asia Foundation.
Tibayan said that a sectoral approach in combating corruption is a good way forward: “A law enforcement integrity network can be an efficient tool for facilitating cooperation in combating corruption, strengthening peer learning exchange between law enforcement authorities, and cultivating a culture intolerant of corruption.”
A rapid assessment study was undertaken prior to the forum-webinar to survey issues in corruption in the law enforcement sector, as well as key initiatives, mechanisms, and best practices. The results of the study were presented during the webinar and informed plenary and breakout discussions for the day. The outcomes of the study and the forum webinar will be translated into a report that may form the basis for future action points.
Integrity standards and anti-corruption mechanisms are widely embedded in Philippine laws. Examples include provisions in the Revised Penal Code penalizing bribery of public officials, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) criminalizing acts that constitute graft or corrupt practices, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6173) outlining norms of conduct that uphold the principle that public office is public trust, and Presidential Decree No. 46 prohibiting receipt of gifts by public officials and giving of the same by private persons.
There are also oversight institutions, tribunals, and procedures that ensure anti-corruption measures are enforced. The Sandiganbayan is a special court having jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices and such other offenses committed by public officers and employees. The Office of the Ombudsman is the main anti-corruption body in the Philippines with the mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption cases. There is also the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), which has the mandate to assist the President in investigating and/or hearing administrative cases involving graft and corruption against all presidential appointees.
Aside from these, investigative and administrative bodies were also created in response to specific anomalies and to serve functions on anti-corruption, such as the Task Force Core Group headed by the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of corruption in the entire government and the National Anti-Corruption Coordinating Council, which will institutionalize anti-corruption committees in all levels of government.
International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed every December 9 since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2003.
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