Commissioner Michael Francis Lopez of the National Youth Commission in Cebu has requested Malacañang to look into a complaint against NYC officials on the selection for the country’s head for the Ship for South East Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP).
Lopez, sitting as NYC commissioner-at-large but is one of the respondents to the case, told the local media yesterday that the complaint was raised by SSEAYP International Philippines, or the SIP, an organization of SSEAYP alumni in the country.
The SIP has filed a complaint at the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission against NYC officials for allegedly using their position in choosing their peer to be the National Leader for this year’s Philippine delegation to SSEAYP.
Named respondents in the complaint are NYC chairman Richard Alvin Nalupta, board members Raul Dominic Badilla, Benjie Oliva and Mohammad Hanny Camid, Commissioners- at-large Priscila Marie Abante and Lopez, and SK National Federation president Milton Isagani Mendador.
These officials compose the NYC en banc that deliberated last June 7 and selected Badilla the National Leader.
A separate complaint was also filed at the Office of the President, and both alleged that the selection process of Badilla had violated the 1987 Constitution, Administrative Code of 1987, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, Republic Act 8044 or Youth in Nation Building Act, and R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The complainants cited NYC Resolution 19 mandating that the National Leader should be chosen from a shortlist of pre-qualified applicants.
They argued that the NYC en banc’s decision to make the position available to any of the NYC Commissioners, and the subsequent selection of Badilla to the post have violated Section 3 of RA 3019.
Lopez, despite being among the respondents, said an intensive investigation is needed and that it is preferable that the PAGC would conduct a hearing to allow both parties to the case to present their sides.
Lopez has since denied involvement in the en banc’s decision, saying he was on an official travel to Japan for the Conference of Southeast Asian Nations when the en banc met last June 7 and deliberated to choose this year’s national leader.
In his counter-affidavit submitted to PAGC, Lopez insisted that he opposed Badilla’s selection from the very start. He said that, due to conflict of interests and as a matter of propriety or delicadeza, no NYC board member should be chosen National Leader.
“It is not right, … for a body that is supposed to be empowered to deliberate and eventually choose deserving and qualified National Leader to send one of its own, to head, or even to participate in the SSEAYP delegation,” Lopez’ counter-affidavit reads.
Lopez, in a media statement, said, “A deep and exhaustive inquiry is the only way … to salvage whatever’s left of the integrity and credibility of the NYC as an institution.” He added that the members of the NYC Board should let themselves be investigated. — Rhia de Pablo/RAE