Tuesday, August 28, 2007 Cabinet member faces graft raps
THE Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) is looking into two graft complaints filed against a Cabinet secretary, according to Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head and Committee of Peers chairman Cerge Remonde.
Remonde, in a telephone interview Monday, said the complaints were originally lodged with the Committee of Peers "about a month ago, more or less."
He declined to give additional details about the case including the identity of the Cabinet secretary and the complainants pending the investigation. He however said the Cabinet secretary is "a boy."
The department head is the fourth Cabinet secretary to be investigated by PAGC for possible graft.
Remonde said they have turned over the complaints "for unjust enrichment" to PAGC "less than a month ago" for further investigation.
He said it is not the job of the Committee of Peers to investigate complaints but evaluate the recommendation of PAGC, particularly when involving Cabinet officials. The Committee of Peers, aside from Remonde, is composed of Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. and Commission on Higher Education (Ched) acting chairman Romulo Neri.
The PAGC had initially recommended a one-month suspension for the three Cabinet secretaries for their failure to act or answer a communication addressed to them within the prescribed 15-day period.
The Committee of Peers, feeling that the recommendation was too harsh particularly for a complaint of not replying to a letter or communication, overturned the PAGC decision and suggested that the three Cabinet secretaries to just be reprimanded or issued warnings.
Remonde said the Committee of Peers; recommendation had already been submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for approval. "It's up to the President to make the final decision. We have our recommendation, so let the President make the announcement," he said, adding that he could not divulge the identity of the three Cabinet officials.
Remonde clarified that the President or Malacañang is not sitting on the complaints, particularly those filed against Cabinet-level officials.
He chided militant groups for criticizing Malacañang and his committee for its decision on the three Cabinet officials. He said they do not know the nature of the case and they have no right to criticize. (JMR/Sunnex)
