Lacson: Cash gift of P100k is not nominal, should only be 5% of salary

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said the amount of P100,000 for a cash gift is not an insignificant amount for government officials and employees to receive without violating the country's anti-graft laws.

“Napakalaki yata ng P100,000 para sabihing nominal,” Lacson said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV.

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission member Greco Belgica earlier said P100,000 may be insignificant since it was equivalent to a month's salary of a government official.

Lacson said his office is now studying what could be considered as a nominal amount.

“Ang nakikita namin siguro maglagay tayo ng relative to base pay. Puwede natin sabihing 5% ng base pay. Huwag ang take-home pay kasi kung sinama mo ang commission sa pork barrel, napakalaki noon. Dapat base pay lang, kung ano ang base pay ng kawani ng gobyerno, 'yun lang ang pagbabasehan, 'yan ang base na pagbabasehan ng numero,” he explained.

“So kung 5% ng pinakamataas na sweldo ng base pay na P200,000 na lang, mga P10,000 ‘yan. ‘Yan ang pwedeng definition ng nominal. Kung nasa P6,000 o P7,000 [ang suweldo], ang 5% noon mas mababa, sa P350. Puwede i-define na ganoon,” he added.

Lacson further said the gift should not be connected to the work done by a government employee or official.

“Huwag ang regalo na may connection sa trabaho. Halimbawa natulungan mo biktima ng robbery-holdup, na-recover ang hinoldap, reregaluhan ka, bawal ‘yan... Maski anong regalo dapat bawal din kasi ibig sabihin may strings attached 'yan,” he said.

“Pero kung ang regalo may okasyon, halimbawa Pasko o birthday ng kawani ng gobyerno, hindi naman siguro masamang tingnan kung mga kaibigan niya magregalo pero wala namang hinihinging kapalit o walang nagawa ang opisyal para magregalo ang tao. Ibang usapan 'yan, bawal din 'yan,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo also said the amount of P100,000 may no longer be considered nominal.

Asked if P100,000 can be considered an acceptable token for policemen, Panelo said, “One hundred thousand, eh 'di hindi na nominal value iyon.”

“Iyong one hundred thousand, specific incident iyong sinabi nung Mr. Belgica. Hindi naman sa lahat ng bagay. At saka para sa kaniya okay iyon," Panelo said.

"Pero gaya ng sinabi ko, ang hukuman pa rin ang final say kung ano ba iyong regalo mo – insignificant o nominal,” he added.

Panelo said the cost of a gift that may be considered a form of corruption was the call of the courts.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month told police officers they may receive gifts from generous and thankful benefactors. He said he did not consider gift-giving bribery.

Lacson, however, said such actions may start off "insatiable greed" among cops.

For former Philippine National Police chief Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, however, receiving gifts is no big deal as long as it is given out of goodwill. —Amita Legaspi/KG, GMA News