Zubiri: All in gov’t should undergo lifestyle check
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Zubiri: All in gov’t, including senators, should undergo lifestyle check
Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said on Friday that all officials in the government, including senators, should undergo a lifestyle check. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently ordered the entire executive branch to go for a lifestyle checks as part of a widening scrutiny of flood control projects. Zubiri also said that there should be a “third-party” agency, which would include civil society, that would oversee government officials. The senator pointed out that politicians’ possessions should match their Bureau of Internal Revenue, tax payments, and income generated from other sources.
Zubiri said this when asked in an online interview on Friday about the recent order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the entire executive branch to go for a lifestyle check as part of a widening scrutiny of flood control projects.
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READ: Marcos, executive branch officials willing to undergo lifestyle check
“Lifestyle checks should be for everyone, both appointed and elected, because we are not exempt from these lifestyle checks,” Zubiri told reporters.
“There are politicians who have no [other] income, other than their income from being a politician, and you see them driving a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari. Where do they get these expensive cars?” he added.
The senator pointed out that politicians’ possessions should match their Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), tax payments, and income generated from other sources.
Watching the watchers
In the same interview, Zubiri said that there should be a “third-party” agency, which would include civil society, that would oversee government officials.
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“We also have civil society involved. I think these are things that we have to take into consideration because what if you have a colleague there who will be hit?” Zubiri said.
Having said this, the senator likewise emphasized that even the BIR and Bureau of Customs should undergo lifestyle checks.
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READ: Marcos orders lifestyle checks, starts with DPWH
“The BIR, the Bureau of Customs — those agencies are also notorious in the past for having this type of lifestyle. So I think the lifestyle check should be done for all of them,” Zubiri said.
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“That’s why we need civil society participation so that someone watches over the watchers,” he added. /das