Sunday, October 1, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Special Pages
    • Pets
    • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • On the Road
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Cravings
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Special Pages
    • Pets
    • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • On the Road
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Cravings
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Columns About Town by Ernesto M. Hilario

This time, it’s Bello facing graft charges

Ernesto M. HilariobyErnesto M. Hilario
November 19, 2019, 12:40 am
in About Town by Ernesto M. Hilario
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

"Will the Office of the Ombudsman agree with him?"

 

Will the Duterte administration's declared all-out war on even just a "whiff of corruption" catch a big fish?

That possibility looms with the filing of graft charges against Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III last week before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The complaint-affidavit was filed by Adolfo Paglinawan, a radio commentator who claims to be a "crusader and advocate in exposing the shenanigans and wrongdoing of government officials and private persons."

Bello is alleged to have committed grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and abuse of power in making at least 40 nonessential travels abroad and causing the government to spend at least P4 million for the trips that "did not redound to the benefit of the government."

While Bello made it appear that his travels abroad were all intended to check on the situation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East and other countries, the complaint said, these were in fact "in defiance and disobedience to the President's guidelines on foreign travel." It cited as precedents Duterte's earlier move to dismiss two government officials for non-essential, excessive and costly foreign travels.

The complaint pointed out: "Were these travels necessary and essential? It should be emphasized that as Secretary of Labor and Employment, Bello has so many responsibilities in managing the affairs and operation of a very large Department. He cannot just entrust his job to an OIC which he often does as he is out of the country half a month of every month of the year. How could he run efficiently and effectively the affairs of his office. As a matter of fact, his office is in disarray, such that he keeps changing the clusters, thereby confusing his subordinates. Furthermore, there are so many pending cases for decision in his office that have not been acted upon for months…Anyway, no matter how you look at them, these foreign trips of Bello gave him unwarranted benefits as he spent government money for airfare, hotels and food. If indeed he spent millions on these travels, he has caused undue injury to the government and prejudiced the Filipino people. Hence, Bello has committed the crime of graft and corruption, under RA 3019 and RA 6713 and also, under Article 208 of the Revised Penal Code for Abuse of Power."

The complaint also charged Bello with grave misconduct and serious dishonesty for authorizing the travel abroad of two subordinates which it deemed "excessive, not essential and not beneficial to the government."

Bello is also charged with grave misconduct and serious dishonesty for alleged usurpation of legislative powers by issuing Administrative Order No. 443, Series of 2018 that allowed him to retain the power to regulate private sector participation in the recruitment and overseas placement of workers by designating the POEA Administrator to be his authorized representative, "when in fact he does not have such power."

Bello is also alleged to have committed the crime of usurpation of authority or official functions when he exercised the powers of the President under Section 17 of EO 292, Series of 1987 by designating an Assistant Secretary as an OIC Undersecretary through the issuance of Administrative Order No. 408, Series of 2019, "despite his knowledge, being a lawyer and former Secretary of Justice, that the power and function to designate or appoint a high official of a Department under the Executive Branch solely belongs to the President of the Philippines."

The complaint also charged Bello for the illegal designation of a DOLE Director's OIC Assistant Secretary to fill the office left vacant due to the appointment of an Assistant Secretary as a Labor Attachè. Again, the complaint emphasized, only the President of the Philippines has the power and authority to designate temporarily a certain high official of a department in the Executive Branch to another office or position.

On top of all this, the complaint accuses Bello of treason for making a secret trip to the Netherlands to meet with Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Bello has defended his trips abroad by saying that all these are official travels authorized by no less than President Duterte: “All of my travels have presidential authority. I cannot go out without presidential authority,” Bello said, adding that as Labor Secretary, it is part of his job to know the actual situation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

As to his meeting with Sison, Bello said, all his meetings with Sison have President Duterte’s blessing.

“These are all with the authority of the President. I never go out of the country to talk to them without authorization. It is only upon the instructions of the President,” he said.

That may be so, but will the Office of the Ombudsman agree with him? Let's wait and see. 

[email protected]

Tags: Adolfo PaglinawanDepartment of Labor and EmploymentOmbudsmanRodrigo DuterteSilvestre Bello III
ADVERTISEMENT
Ernesto M. Hilario

Ernesto M. Hilario

Related Posts

Are Filipinos safer, more secure today?

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 29, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

Smuggling, hoarding and profiteering are considered as economic sabotage and the government should run after those involved in these illegal...

Read more

Deeper into the muck

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 27, 2023, 12:05 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

It seems that scammers have been able to easily register SIM cards using fake identification cards Ako Bicol Partylist Rep....

Read more

CamSur mayor charged with illegal quarrying

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 22, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

The complainants are seeking the immediate suspension without pay of Mabulo and the five barangay chairmen Up for deliberation by...

Read more

Joint WPS patrols

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 20, 2023, 12:05 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

The AFP is well within its mandate in asserting our sovereignty over our EEZ Don't expect big warships of the...

Read more

Unified messaging for peacebuilding

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 15, 2023, 12:05 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

The search for peace does not end with efforts to find a political solution to the armed conflict through negotiations...

Read more

Another Pagcor controversy

byErnesto M. Hilario
September 13, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

Will this Pagcor controversy be investigated by the AMLC and the SC? Still smarting from the recent P3-million controversy over...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Indian spacecraft heads towards centre of solar system
  • Afghan embassy in India suspends operations
  • Gbagbo’s party rejects results of Ivory Coast vote
  • Cops arrest 3 foreigners for kidnapping in Pasay
  • UK Tories bid to kickstart resurgence at annual conference
  • ‘Within reach’: Poland opposition to hold anti-govt election rally
  • Lula ‘stable’ after hip replacement: doctors
  • Record number of children attacked and killed in DR Congo: UN

Advertisement

Latest News

‘Within reach’: Poland opposition to hold anti-govt election rally

byAFP
October 1, 2023, 1:30 pm
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Polish opposition leaders are hoping to gather more than a million people in Warsaw on Sunday to oppose the conservative...

Read more

Lula ‘stable’ after hip replacement: doctors

byAFP
October 1, 2023, 1:00 pm
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in "stable" condition a day after undergoing hip surgery, and began physical...

Read more

Record number of children attacked and killed in DR Congo: UN

byAFP
October 1, 2023, 12:30 pm
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

The Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to see record numbers of children killed, maimed, kidnapped or sexually assaulted...

Read more

New-look UE whips San Sebastian in Shakey’s Super League

byManila Standard Sports
October 1, 2023, 12:20 pm
0
8
New-look UE whips San Sebastian in Shakey’s Super League

Mine! says UE's Jenina Zeta and Yesia Rojo. Roman Prospero The new-look University of the East hammered out a 25-18,...

Read more

Three killed in Liberian election campaign clashes

byAFP
October 1, 2023, 11:30 am
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Three people have been killed in clashes in Liberia between supporters of the country's two main political parties ahead of...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Pets
  • Tech
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Cravings
  • Environment & Sustainability
  • Agriculture
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App