Arellano vs. De Guzman tackle whether or not PCGG should be abolished

Two senatorial bets expressed opposing views regarding the continued operations of the Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG) during the "Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025” on February 1.

Attorney Ernesto Arellano, who says the PCGG should be abolished, said he believed the agency is unable to execute its job of recovering the money stolen from the government.

“So, in principle, kinakailangan bawiin natin lahat ang kayamanan na Pilipinas na ninakaw ng sino man. Pero kailangan natin effective,” he said.

(So in principle, we need to take back the resources of the Philippines that was stolen by whoever that is. But it needs to be effective.)

Arellano said the coconut levy fund is one of PCGG’s failed tasks as this was not returned to the farmers.

The coconut levy fund was established in 1971 with the intention of generating funds from levies, taxes, charges, and other fees imposed on coconut farmers, planters, millers, and the like.

Arellano alleged that the coconut levy fund can no longer be returned as the PCGG was among those who stole money.

He believed that the government must work on a new solution outside the PCGG.

“Paano mo ngayon babawiin ‘yung mga ninakaw na Coco Levy Fund na dapat maibigay sa mga magsasaka? Ninakaw din ng mga magnanakaw sa PCGG. So, kaya lumikha tayo ng ibang paraan,” he stated.

(How would you take back the stolen Coco Levy Fund that should have been given to the farmers? That has also been stolen by the thieves in PCGG. So, we need to find a different solution.)

On the other hand, fellow senatorial bet Leody de Guzman said the PCGG was doing a good job and had been able to recover more than P64 billion during its operations.

“Sa first 5 to 6 years niya, I think, nasa P64 Billion ang kaniyang nabawi. Hindi maliit na halaga yan. Kaya dapat imintensya para higit pang mahabol ang mga iba pang mga nagnakaw sa kaban ng bayan ng mga mamamayan,” said de Guzman.

(In it’s first 5 to 6 years, I think it was able to take back around P64 Billion. It is not a small amount. That is why we need to maintain it so that it can still chase more thieves stealing from taxpayer money.)

He added that the job of the PCGG was not yet over, as he believed the department had more debts to collect.

“Dapat ipagpatuloy at i-strengthen para tiyakin na makabawi ang ating pamahalaan ng sapat na pondo sa mga ninakaw. Lalo na ngayon, usong-usong ngayon ang pagnanakaw. Kaya kailangan natin pagtibayin pa ang PCGG para habulin ang lahat ng magnanakaw sa bansa,” he said.

(It should continue because there is still a lot to take back. There are still more people to chase… It should continue and be strengthened to ensure that our government can recover enough funds from what was stolen. Especially now, when thievery is prolific. That is why we need to strengthen the presence of PCGG to chase down all the thieves in the country.)

“Kaya nga dapat hindi buwagin. Kaya nga dapat ituloy-tuloy 'yan, dahil marami pang dapat bawiin. Marami pang dapat habulin. Si Lucio Tan, haslo wala pang, ni isang sentimo hindi pa nababawian. Kaya dapat ipagpatuloy at i-strengthen para tiyakin na makabawi ang ating pamahalaan ng sapat na pondo sa mga ninakaw. Lalo na ngayon, usong-uso ngayon ang pagnanakaw kaya kinakailangan antin pagtibayin pa ang PCGG para habulin ang lahat ng magnanakaw sa bansa.

May kailangan pang habulin sa coco levy. At iyon ang dahilan. Bakit nga ba ayaw mo ipagpatuloy ang PCGG? Sino'ng hahabol niyan? Lalo na ngayon, sa kalagayan ngayon, mga goody-goody silang lahat. Kaya dapat natin ibalik. Bakit ayaw mo?” he added.

(It is correct that there is still a need to recover funds from the Coco Levy, and that is the reason. But why do you not want the PCGG to keep operating? Who would chase them down? Especially now, at this time, they’re all goody-goody. That is why we need to put it back. Why don’t you want to?)

[Fact check: The Supreme Court has affirmed a Sandiganbayan 2012 decision that dismissed an ill-gotten wealth case against the estate of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Lucion Tan and others due to lack of sufficient evidence.]

Established in 1986, the PCGG was created to collect the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family from the Martial Law era.  — Jiselle Anne Casucian/BAP, GMA Integrated News

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