DILG to gov’t workers: Live a simple life

Amid arrest of a municipal councilor involved in gambling activity inside a casino

The Department of Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG-7) has reminded government employees to live a simple life, following the arrest of Cordova Councilor Lemuel Pogoy who was caught gambling in the casino.

Lawyer Ian Kenneth Lucero, chief of the Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division of DILG-7, said public officials should know their limits and boundaries.

Lucero said Pogoy may face sanction if proven guilty after due process such as suspension or dismissal from service or disciplinary action based on the local government code of 1991 Section 60, in which an elective local official may be disciplined, suspended or removed from office for disloyalty, culpable violation of the Constitution and dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty, among others.

However, Lapu-Lapu City Assistant City Prosecutor Sheilamar Saliganan-Abadia has found no criminal liability on the part of Pogoy since he is an elected official. In her decision dated January 26, 2018, Saliganan-Abadia found no criminal liability on the part of the councilor since he is an elected official; and the memorandum circular cited in the complaint only covered judicial or executive officers in the employ of government.

The Republic Act of 6713 Section 4, otherwise known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, states that “Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income.”

“They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form,” it added.

Memorandum Circular No. 6 enjoined all government officials and employees to “strictly observe and comply with the prohibition against going to gambling casinos,” pursuant to Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6713, otherwise known as “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.”

“Public office is a public trust. Dapat sa tanan oras accountable gyud na sila sa mga tawo (They should be accountable to the people anytime),” Lucero said.

Pogoy was arrested in a casino in Lapu-Lapu City last Thursday. He walked out of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) 7 detention on Friday night soon after the police release order for the councilor was issued by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office, according to a source.

Meanwhile, two cases were filed in court yesterday afternoon against PO2 Cyrelle Bayate.

Supt. Josefino Ligan, deputy chief of the Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office 7, said a case for violating Presidential Decree 1869 of Article 231 of the Revised Penal Code and Memorandum Circular No. signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as violation of Republic Act 10591 for possession of unlicensed firearm have been filed against Bayate.

Bayate was arrested on Thursday evening while playing a slot machine inside a casino in Cebu City. She was temporarily detained at the Fuente Police Precinct. She was relieved from her post in Parian Police Precinct. with a report from Correspondent Benjie Talisic