Sen. Bam: Abolishing PCGG endorses corruption, historical revisionism

If the government is serious in eradicating corruption, it should work to strengthen the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), rather than move to abolish it, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

"Kung talagang determinado ang gobyerno na labanan ang katiwalian, bakit nais nitong buwagin ang PCGG na siyang naghahabol sa nakaw na yaman ng pamilya Marcos," said Sen. Bam, alluding to the move of the House of Representatives to abolish the PCGG.

"Sa halip na buwagin, mas magandang palakasin pa ang PCGG dahil marami pang pera at marami pang bank accounts ang hindi pa naibabalik sa mga Pilipino," added Sen. Bam.

The senator said the unrecovered money from the Marcoses, amounting to billions of dollars, could be put to good use and for the benefits of the Filipino people.

Sen. Bam also questioned the move to abolish the PCGG, saying it could be a part of a ploy to revise history about the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.

"This will institutionalize historical revisionism. Pilit na binabago ang kasaysayan sa pagkilos na ito," said Sen. Bam, adding that the measure has no counterpart measure in the Senate.

In its 30 years of existence, the PCGG has succeeded in recovering $3.6 billion or P170 billion pesos of the estimated $10 billion of Marcos ill-gotten wealth.

The recovered funds have been used to support the government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and reparation of Martial Law victims.