PACC on possible use of gov’t resources by administration bets: Show proof first

Officials from the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said that proof needs to be presented first that government resources are being used by administration candidates for their campaigns when they join President Rodrigo Duterte on his engagements.

“If it can be proven that they have been using public funds…’yung pamasahe, accommodations sa hotel pag sumasama sila sa Presidente, then that is a violation [of the law],” PACC Executive Director Eduardo Bringas said in a press conference on Thursday.

“If they use their own funds and join the President, it is not a violation,” he added.

Administration candidates seen often tagging along with the President in the latter’s engagements even before the campaign period started last February 12 include former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, former Presidential adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, and former Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa.

The President has also appeared with Go, Tolentino and Dela Rosa in larger-than-life billboards mounted across the country, as well as in television advertisements with these administration bets before the campaign period for senatorial candidates started last February 12.

PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez, for his part, said that the commission will not hesitate to probe people who are illegally using government resources to boost their election campaign.

“Bubuuin namin ito. Magkakaroon ng investigation. Puedeng i-monitor ang paggamit ng supplies sa opisina. Kung dati ang monthly use ng papel ay 100 reams naging 1,000, obvious masyado iyon,” Jimenez said.

“Mahuhuli rin natin ang mga walanghiyang ‘yan. Delikado ka, baby,” Jimenez added.

Under the Revised Penal Code, the crime of malversation of public funds is committed by "any public officer who, by reason of the duties of his office, is accountable for public funds or property, shall appropriate the same, or shall take or misappropriate shall consent, or through abandonment or negligence, shall permit any other person to take such public funds or property, wholly or partially."

The crime of malversation is punishable by a jail time of six years to as much as 20 years on top of corresponding penalties, depending on the gravity of the offense. — BM, GMA News