PACC to recommend P25-M threshold for plunder – Jimenez
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2019 04:32:43 +0000
THE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on Thursday will recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the lowering of the threshold amount for plunder from P50 million to P25 million.
PACC chairman Dante Jimenez made the statement on Thursday after Duterte sought the retention of P50-million threshold imposed against an individual who would commit plunder.
“We are really in consonance with the proposal na ibalik ang (to revive the) death penalty sa mga (against) plunderers and we will be recommending babaan ‘yung (to lower the) threshold from P50 million to P25 million,” Jimenez said during an interview with dzBB radio.
Duterte had rejected the proposal of his former special aide and now Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to lower the threshold amount for plunder to P10 million from the current P50 million.
“Si Bong, he wants a death penalty for plunder. I am for it. Kung wala kang plunder, threshold (The amount threshold for plunder) is P50 million. He wants me to announce it here. Wala naman plunderer dito (There is no plunderer here),” Duterte said in a speech delivered in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
“We’re doing our best. Bong wants plunder. ‘Yung P50 million (P50 million is better). I think, if I may, masyadong P10 million is [too low]. P10 million now is [low]. P50 million siguro (Perhaps, P50 million is acceptable,” he added.
Duterte, in his recent State of the Nation Address, renewed his call to Congress to pass a measure reinstating the death penalty for heinous crimes related to illegal drugs and corruption after recognizing that the government has a long way to go in fighting them.
On July 2, Go filed a Senate bill seeking the reimposition of death penalty for drug-related offenses and plunder.
Under Go’s proposed measure, a person charged with illegal drugs or plunder will face death penalty through lethal injection.
The President’s former aide is reportedly open to lowering the plunder threshold currently set at P50 million.