HIGH
LEVEL POLITICAL CONFERENCE
For
the purpose of signing the
UN
CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION
STATEMENT
OF
THE
HONOURABLE SIMEON A. DATUMANONG
Secretary
of Justice, Republic of the
MR. PRESIDENT,
DISTINGUISHED
DELEGATES,
LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN
At the outset, allow me to convey my
delegation's felicitations on your election as President of this historic
event. Under your experienced hand, the Philippine delegation is confident that
we will achieve this Conference's objectives.
I also wish to take this opportunity to
extend our utmost appreciation to the Government of Mexico for hosting this
High Level Political Conference for the Purpose of Signing the UN Convention Against Corruption and for the excellent accommodations
given our delegation. While our countries are geographically afar, Mexico and
the Philippines share the same historical past as long time colonies of Spain
with the Galleon Trade plying both our countries so that we share the same
culture and values and receive natural open friendship and hospitality.
The Philippine delegation has actively
participated in all 7 sessions of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of
this Convention as in fact our Permanent Representative and Philippine Ambassador
to the United Nations VICTOR GARCIA III was Chairman of the Sub-Committee on
the Chapter on Criminalization. We are therefore very pleased with the approval
by the ad hoc Committee and adoption by the General Assembly by resolution 58/4
of 31 October 20p approving the Convention. As
Secretary of Justice I have now signed the Convention as a manifestation of our
country's resolute support of the Convention to suppress corruption worldwide. As our President, Madam Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reportedly said:
"Good governance has come of age
through the sustained and diligent application of law and due process. We will
fight corruption in the same degree that we are fighting terrorism and poverty.All the departments of government are gathering
around this effort, fully supported by the private sector. It cannot be done overnight but we must
have the political will and perseverance to follow through. These cases will
have a strong influence on stemming leakages in expenditures and shoring up
revenue collections. They have an
effect on our economic stability as well as on our political security.
We are now hot on the trail of
procurement and resource allocation reforms. We will stamp out opportunities
for graft, as much as we will continue to pursue grafters. We need all
Filipinos to help and support the government. Let us shake off our apathy and
indifference and do our share in calling attention to stealing and profligacy
in government."
At present the Philippines has made a
headway in legislation of certain requirements under the Convention such as 1)
criminalization of corruption under our Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act of
1960; Confiscation of Unexplained Wealth Act of 1955; and Bribery, Malfeasance
and Misfeasance in Office, Frauds and Illegal Exactions and Transactions in
Government and Malversation of Public Funds or
Property which are under our Penal Code since 1930, and our recent Anti-Money
Laundering Act of 2000; 2) Protection to Witnesses under the Immunity to Givers
of Bribery Act of 1975 and Witness Protection and Witness Compensation Program
Act of 1991; 3) the Act Setting Standards of Conduct of Public Officials and
Employees to uphold the Time Honored Principle that Public office is a public
trust; 4) the consideration of a longer penalty and prescription under our Law
on Plunder and the constitutional provision that
recovery of assets shall not prescribe and 5)
the jurisdiction to investigate is vested in only one agency the Ombudsman.
However, most importantly, we would
like to see the implementation of provisions on international cooperation,
extradition, mutual legal assistance and recovery and return of illegal assets
which are the essence of this Convention.
Corruption has become a world wide
phenomenon due to globalization and the propensity of our peoples to immigrate
either as temporary or permanent citizens of foreign countries which could
easily be a tool for siphoning illegal public funds to other nations. Thus, we
have recently just extradited a noted politician to the
Indeed, if proceeds of corruption have
become international and have no known boundaries, our efforts to go after and
regain them can be responded quickly through this Convention. In closing I wish to thank the United
Nations as a whole, the UN office on Drugs and Crime and the officials of the
Ad Hoc Committee for steering the draft into what is now a Convention. Thank you and Mabuhay.