And while Espat said he will seek good governance practices in that area, what about the other forms of corruption commonplace in the government? - like the sale of government assets without tender, for one.
The Commission of Inquiry into the sale of government assets was appointed by the PUP to tackle this very same problem, but the practice of selling government assets on the cheap has persisted for decades of PUDP rule.
And - when he w sin private life - Espat himself has been known to buy one or two of these assets.
When we posed the question to him, he deflected, saying that what he did was in no way the same as what the Commission is investigating.
Jules Vasquez
"How do you sit with it knowing that in the past, you yourself have benefitted from the sale of government assets. You bought the old CJ's residence, I don't believe it was put out to tender, and you bought the property on Forest Drive, you have befitted from these types of sales."
Hon. Julius Espat - Minister of Infrastructure, Housing, and Development
"When I was in the private sector I purchased what was available, yes. But that's different, you're dealing with a prime minister who's making deals for himself."
Jules Vasquez
"But I know how these things done, once things are not put out to tender it means deals are made, that's how it goes."
Hon. Julius Espat
"This is a different situation..."
Jules Vasquez
"But what you are talking about are symptoms, the sickness is people think government property is theirs and they sell it to friends and cronies and you were on that list..."
Hon. Julius Espat
"If I would be you, Jules, I would really be careful going in that direction. But let's continue."
Jules Vasquez
"Isn't that what this entire inquiry is about? That 123 vehicles or pieces of government property was sold..."
Hon. Julius Espat
"I have never ran away from what I have done in the past, what I have purchase is above board and what I have done, it is public knowledge."
Jules Vasquez
"It is nothing wrong, it is business, but you bought it for a price and then you flipped it for a profit."
Hon. Julius Espat
"I didn't flip it for a profit, I invested millions of dollars before it was sold. It was broken down and sold again after it was invested I million dollars, that business that's work."
Jules Vasquez
"But that's called flipping, that's how flipping work, buy cheap and sell expensive."
Hon. Julius Espat
"No, flipping is a different thing but I won't even get into that."
