MARAMI ang nag-react sa ating mga tagasubaybay sa inilabas nating isang Bureau of Customs – District Collector na nag-assume lang sa bago niyang pwesto bilang district collector din, ay naka-helicopter pa.

Ayon sa kanila, kung pag-aari ni Mr. Collector ang helicopter na sinakyan sa pag-assume niya sa bagong pwesto nitong nakaraan ay ipinagyayabang niya sa mga tao na marami siyang pera.
Kung ipinahiram naman ito sa kanya ng kaibigan, may problema pa rin siya sa ilalim ng batas.

At kung inupahan niya naman ito ay masyado siyang maluho, ayon pa sa ating tagasubaybay.

Mas malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw sa Republic Act No. 3019 o mas kilala bilang “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” sa Section 2. (c) “Receiving any gift includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly a gift from a person other than a member of the public officer’s immediate family in behalf of himself or of any member of his family or relative within the fourth civil degree, either by consanguinity or affinity, even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the va­lue of the gift is under the circumstances manifestly excessive.

Kung ipinahiram ang chopper kay Mr. Collector ng kanyang kaibigan ay parang tumanggap na rin siya ng regalo mula rito, na tinutukoy sa RA No. 3019 Section 2.

Kung pagmamay-ari niya naman ito, kailangan ay nakasaad ito sa kanyang Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Kung inupahan niya naman ito ay kailangang masilip kung saan galing ang pera na ipinambayad niya rito, hindi biro ang renta sa isang helicopter.

Naalala ko tuloy na minsan ay naintriga ni Vice President Inday Sara Duterte na ginagamit daw nito ang chopper ng Office of the President sa pag-uwi niya sa Davao City, subalit pinabulaanan niya naman ito.

Sa yaman ng isang opisyal ng gobyerno na nakuha niya sa panahon ng kanyang panunungkulan, narito ang sinasabi ng batas:

Sa Section 8. “Dismissal due to unexplained wealth. – If in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act Number One Thousand Three Hundred Seventy-Nine, a public official has been found to have acquired during his incumbency, whether in his name or in the name of other persons, an amount of property and/or money manifestly out of proportion to his salary and to his other lawful income, that fact shall be a ground for dismissal or removal. Properties in the name of the spouse and unmarried children of such public officials may be taken into consideration, when their acquisition through legitimate means cannot be satisfactorily shown. Bank deposits shall be taken into consi­deration in the enforcement of this section, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary.

Narito naman ang sinasabi ng Republic Act No. 6731 o mas kilala bilang “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”, Section 4. (a) “Commitment to public interest. — Public officials and employees shall always uphold the public interest over and above personal interest. All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues.

Sa Section 4. (h) “Simple living — Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious displays of wealth in any form.”

Ang mga batas na ito ay hindi pinapansin ng ilang opisyal ng gobyerno, kaya patuloy sila kung ano ang kanilang nakasanayan kahit na labag ito.

Tulad na lamang nitong isinulat natin noong nakaraan na isang BOC- District Collector sa Mindanao na nag-assume sa bago niyang pwesto na District Collector pa rin sa Mindanao ay naka-chopper pa.

Ang Mindanao ay may apat na malalaking Ports na kinabibilangan ng Port of Davao, Port of Zamboanga, Port of Cagayan de Oro at Port of Surigao bukod pa sa Subports nito.
Bahala na po ko kayo mag-isip kung saan nanggaling at kung saan lumipat ang tinutukoy nating District Collector.

oOo

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