MANILA, Philippines—The Aquino administration’s  anti-corruption efforts are mocked when certain sectors can prevent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from being held accountable for her alleged misdeeds while she was the President of the Philippines, President Aquino said on Tuesday.

Mr. Aquino said the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom released by the Heritage Foundation showed that the problem of judicial inefficiency remained a serious concern.

“We cannot fight corruption unless we reintroduce a sense of accountability—a sense that, if you commit a crime, you will be punished,” President Aquino said at a Cabinet workshop on anti-corruption strategies.

“If certain elements are still able to prevent Gloria, for example, from being held accountable, then it makes a mockery of our anti-corruption efforts,” he added.

The President told the government officials that there should be no exception to the administration’s war against corruption.

“We want to send a stern yet simple message: justice evades no one. There are no exceptions in our campaign against corruption,” he said.

“It shouldn’t matter if you are a former President or in the lower ranks of public service. If you are dishonest, then you must be held to account,” he added.