What happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas.
For Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronal “Bato” Dela Rosa, his recent sojourn to Las Vegas, Nevada could have easily been a trip of a lifetime.
He was there last November 5, to witness Sen. Manny Pacquiao slug it out with Mexican-American boxer Jessie Vargas for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title. Aside from the prime seat, the trip came with free airfare and hotel accommodations, courtesy of Sen. Pacquiao who won the match via a unanimous decision.
It was an unforgettable experience for Bato, one that might cost him his job.
The Office of the Ombudsman will look into the propriety of Bato’s free trip to Las Vegas, to determine if the PNP chief violated Republic Act 6713 or the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees.
Bato admitted that Pacquiao paid for everything—for him and his family to watch the bout—and that he did not spend personal or public funds to go to the U.S. The travel perk even included allowances.
According to the law, public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal ones.
Republic Act 6713 establishes a code of conduct and ethical standard for public officials and employees, to uphold the time-honored principle of public office, to promote a high standard of public service.
It also states that public officials and employees are not allowed “to solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, favor entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”
With such a tall order to uphold, it makes one wonder why anyone would even want to be in public office.
If proven guilty, Bato will face criminal and administrative liabilities.
“Bahala na ang propriety na iyan (I don’t care about propriety). All I know is it’s free so I grabbed the opportunity,” the PNP chief said on the current investigation by the Ombudsman. He said he was being transparent and that he is ready to face jail time over the controversial trip.
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte came to Bato’s defense saying that the PNP chief can afford the trip anyway and that the trip was commensurate to his wealth.
“The is no criminal liability,” Duterte said on Monday, Nov. 14 as he extended his congratulations to the Filipino people over Pacquiao’s recent victory.
For Pacquiao, RA 6713 needs to be clarified. The WBO welterweight champion insisted that there was no malice in his kind gesture.
“I think sometimes we’re not using our common sense. What if we just saw each other in a restaurant, and I tell him I’ll be the one to pay? What’s wrong with that? Besides, I’m also in government,” Pacquiao told reporters.
Pacquiao reportedly bought 2,000 tickets—valuing over a million dollars’ worth—and also flew in some of his friends from the government to watch his fight.
Members of the Ombudsman’s investigation team must also look into every member of Pacquiao’s entourage in his Nov. 5 fight. And while they’re at it, the agency must conduct lifestyle checks to every government official to see whether they are spending beyond their means. Bato can’t be the only one who slipped through the cracks. (AJPress)
