Public trust

While there is such a thing as presumption of innocence, appointing somebody to a government post when he has yet to clear his name in connection with an alleged wrongdoing at a previous public post escapes logic and worse,  delicadeza.

After all, nobody believes there is a dearth of good people worthy of being called public servants.

The Office of the Ombudsman’s field investigation office earlier announced that it will examine charges filed against Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) officer-in-charge Eunich Losantas to determine whether or not a case against him can be filed with the Sandiganbayan.

Losantas became OIC of the TRB after executive director Manuel Imperial went on leave, since Executive Director Manual Imperial went on indefinite medical leave.

Latest word is that because of the rumblings within the ranks of the TRB caused by the Losantas’appointment, he was relieved as OIC. He remains administrative head, a position he concurrently held when he was OIC.

But insiders feel that his being relieved as OIC is just for show because he seems to be still calling the shots.

They revealed that Losantas just joined the TRB technical group in Malaysia for the factory commissioning of the toll collection equipment without an official travel order and without filing for a leave of absence, and inspite of the fact that he has no business being there.

Losantas was earlier charged with allegedly violating section 8 of RA 3019 in relation to section 11 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act 6713).

He was charged for his reported failure to declare properties worth P18.9 million in his 2007 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

These undeclared properties include a house and lot in Taytay, Rizal worth P1.5 million,  a Mitsubishi Adventure worth P665,000, capital investment in Euniline Computer Services and Trading, a business registered under the name of his wife, amounting to P500,000; and cash worth P16.28 million.

According to news reports, Losantas is also facing charges for violation of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code (perjury); R.A. 1379 (Act Declaring Forfeiture of Ill-Gotten Wealth of Public Officers and Employees); and Section 22 of the Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order 292 (Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service).

The TRB official was first employed with the Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran, a government-owned and -controlled corporation attached with the Department of Agriculture from 1983 to 1998. His wife and two children have no record of income tax returns from 1996 to 2007, the reports revealed.

While it is good news for the people at TRB that Losantas was taken off the OIC post, they believe that somebody should explain why he was appointed OIC in the first place and why he continues to perform sensitive tasks at the TRB despite the numerous charges he is facing. After all, public service involves public trust. How can the publicly possibly trust him until he proves his innocence?

Missed target

While the Sanlakas men and women enjoy the constitutional right to petition the government for redress of grievances, many are of the opinion that pelting the LTA building with rotten eggs and in the process vandalizing private property is longer protected by such right.

While the First Gentleman owns and holds office on the 8th floor of the LTA building, there are units in that building owned by other entities unrelated to him like BPI and CVC Law. The Sanlakas people reportedly missed the FG’s floor and the eggs hit the other floors.

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