PHILIPPINE Ports Authority general manager Jay Daniel Santiago has directed all PPA employees to strictly observe and follow the government’s anti-corruption campaign in light of the video showing one of its personnel caught allegedly accepting grease money.
The female PPA employee involved in the alleged anomalous transaction has since been relieved from her post and now under investigation.
In a statement, Santiago stressed that strict adherence to government ethical standards is the only way to prevent similar cases from happening again.
On Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon showed to the media a video footage of the PPA employee allegedly receiving money from “importers/brokers transacting and processing papers to avail [themselves] of gate passes.”
Closed-circuit television cameras were strategically installed at the Customs and PPA offices as part of the government’s efforts to promote transparency and curb corruption.
“Based on our initial investigation, our employee caught on CCTV deviated from the prescribed transaction procedures, the very reason why she’s in this mess right now,” Santiago said.
He added: “Procedures and guidelines are put in place specifically to prevent this kind of scenarios, that is why I am directing all PPA personnel not to deviate from any of our procedures to avoid similar instances from happening again.
“As a result of her action, I already ordered the personnel relieved from her current position pending the result of the ongoing investigation.”
The PPA chief lauded the Customs bureau for its efforts in installing the CCTVs and for showing the alleged malpractice of its employees, which became the basis of his order.
Santiago hopes that continued coordination between the two agencies will continue to stamp out and curb corruption in their respective organizations.
PPA is also accelerating its efforts from manual to cashless transactions to avoid similar cases in the future.
It is also assuring the public that the agency will not tolerate any kind of corruption under its auspices and similarly punish to the full extent of the law its personnel found guilty of any corruption.