The Commission on Elections said it will thoroughly examine a complaint filed against Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero for alleged election violations, where the latter ignored the Comelec’s rule to freeze hiring, promotion, salary increase, and transfer of government employees during the May 2019 election period.
The Comelec said that Guerrero issued several personnel orders for the transfer of several key customs officers to different positions between February to June 2019.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez cited Resolution 8737 promulgated on Dec. 29, that there shall be no transfers of public officials or employees, including teachers, to other government agencies or to other divisions or field offices of their current agencies without permission from the Comelec during the election period.
The resolution stated that the poll body must first be notified if there is an urgent need to fill in positions.
Any government officials who committed election violations may also be charged with corruption under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, according to the Comelec.
Aside from the complaint filed before the Comelec, Guerrero is also being questioned for allowing his Chief-of-Staff, identified as lawyer Teodoro Jumamil, to perform the function of a commissioner such as reviewing, issuing and signing Memoranda, issue office orders, personnel orders, even orders for Holding and Seizure of Goods as well as, and more importantly, lifting of such orders.
Signing of alert and lifting orders of shipments is mandated only to the commissioner or district collectors of the bureau and not to the chief of staff.
It was also reported that Jumamil continue to be a member of the board of the development Bank of the Philippines, a government owned and controlled corporation where he continue to receive compensation.