DIWA party-list Rep. Michael Edgar Aglipay was elected as the new chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability.
This after a known ally of former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, was removed from the chairmanship post.
The committee on good government and public accountability is a major committee which looks into corruption and anomalies in the government.
Aglipay expressed gratitude to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his colleagues for their trust and confidence in him.
Aglipay, a known close friend of Speaker Velasco, is an advocate of anti-corruption in government.
“Corruption in government is perhaps one of the greatest of evils; it is what prevents the most vulnerable in society from being served even with the most basic needs. There is blood on a corrupt politician’s hands whenever a person needlessly dies because they failed to access such basic necessities,” Aglipay said.
“It is unfortunate that so many supposed public servants fail to live up to the constitutional mandate that Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives,” he added.
Under his watch, Rep. Aglipay vows to steer the committee in addressing strongly such corruption focusing on the mandate of the committee in the pursuit of a clean, corrupt-free and honest government.
Sy-Alvarado is among the allies of Cayetano who were stripped off juicy positions. The others include Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte; Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu; Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez.
