Agri chief Piñol returns P450k worth Rolex watch gift

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol on Wednesday admitted that he had received as a gift a P450,000 worth Rolex submariner, but decided to return it.

In a Facebook post, Piñol said the watch, placed in a box stuffed in a bag, was given to him during a dinner with top officials of a "very large" agricultural company.

"The one I received recently was just stuffed in a bag along with the other mementos which I usually receive during ceremonial exchange of gifts," Piñol said.

"It was not until I was in my farm in Kidapawan City, when I decided to open the box and I almost fell off my seat when I saw what was inside the box," he added. "It was a Rolex submariner, a watch which almost every man dreams of owning."

Piñol admitted that he thought of keeping the watch, especially after researching its price tag on the internet, saying "who does not like to own a Rolex anyway?"

"When I checked its price in the internet, I found out that the watch had a value of about P450,000 and I would be lying if I say that the thought of keeping it did not cross my mind," he said.

Piñol admitted his love for Rolex watches, but not this Christmas season.

"I love Rolex watches, but... it is the season of giving but sorry we can't receive," he said.

Piñol also recalled owning a Rolex Oyster Perpetual he received from one of his friends before he entered politics in the 1990s. He said he seldom uses the watch because of its age and is not fond of wearing lavish jewelries.

"I actually own an old model, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, given to me by a late friend, Bening Urquico, before I entered politics in 1995 but I seldom use it because I am not fond of wearing jewellery," he said.

"Besides, it is so old that it spends more time in the repair shop than on my wrist," the DA chief said.

The agriculture chief said he decided to return the Rolex to the sender "respectfully" as he fears facing corruption charges and imprisonment for conflict of interest by receiving expesive gifts.

"I explained that I could not take the gift because not only because the company is involved in activities which would require the supervision of the Department which I head but also because the law prohibits officials like me from accepting expensive gifts," Piñol said.

Piñol noted "a huge burden was taken off my back" when he learned to whom the Rolex came from, saying he can now look straight at President Rodrigo Duterte without any links of corruption.

"Now, I can look at anybody straight in the eye and tell them that I am following President Rody Duterte's directive that members of his Cabinet must not be linked to any act of corruption,"

He then urged his fellow government employees to be careful in receiving Christmas gifts.

"I know it is Christmas, but for us in government, there must be a careful discernment on what kind of Christmas presents we could receive and from whom," Piñol said.

The DA chief's Facebook post has received more than 41,000 reactions, 4,581 comments, and almost 11,500 shares since it was uploaded at 6:13 a.m. Wednesday. —ALG, GMA News