
LEADERS of the House of Representatives on Thursday supported the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. for a lifestyle check on government officials, beginning with those of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Ako, I’m in favor of that. Kung nais ng Pangulong simulan sa DPWH, well and good, ‘no? Pero kinakailangan lahat…lahat ‘yan, pati Judiciary, lahat na. Talagang magkaroon ng lifestyle check. I’m in favor of what the President has said,” Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who chairs the House Committee on Human Rights, told a news conference.
Public accounts committee chairman Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list said he believes there would be no problem if the lifestyle check would cover members of Congress and the judiciary.
“I think the call of course of the President is on all, pero I’m also quite sure na he also wants to respect yung pong co-equality ng branches of government,” Ridon said.
“I think wala naman hong problema na magkaroon din po ng lifestyle checks sa mga miyembro po ng Kongreso, miyembro po kahit ng hudikatura. Kasi syempre kailangan naman po talagang all-encompassing and more importantly, meron po talagang mga expectations on all government officials, on all government employees, na talaga naman pong dapat we should be able to lead and live modest lives,” Ridon said.
“So, I think very important po ‘yun, na hindi lang ho mag-target, for example on DPWH, but on each and every agency, and on each and every political branch of government,” he added.