GOVERNMENT officials found guilty of committing graft will lose their title as career executive service officers (CESO) among other privileges.
This was bared by Undersecretary Rosalina Bistoyong, president of the National Union of Career Service Officers (NUCESO), during a press conference timed with the 17th Annual Career Executive Service Conference at SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang Premier in Davao City yesterday.
In fact, USec Bistoyong said, an accused official not yet found guilty by the court with finality can still be stripped of CESO title through an action of the Career Executive Service Board (CSB), if there is enough proof of his illegal activities and notoriety as a corrupt government manager.
Bistoyong, however, clarified that an official stripped of CESO title, can still appeal the case and ask for the restoration of the title together with the effort to appeal the guilty verdict.
She said the CES board will be the one to decide on the matter.
NUCESO Immediate past president Mariano Alquiza, now an assistant secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said that whether the accused is an executive or managerial head, he/she can be kicked out from the CESO position.
However, Alquiza observed that under his stint as a CESO member and NUCESO president, no CESO official has been convicted with finality as guilty for graft and corruption.
“This means that as CESO officials, we maintain transparency and professionalism in our behavior as government managers,” Alquiza said. He said the CESO system has been effective in deterring graft and corruption in government.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, represented President Rodrigo R. Duterte, now in Singapore, in keynoting the annual conference. Nograles also joined the press conference and answered some questions from the media persons.
He said that with the Ease of Doing Business Law, which has been signed by President Duterte, will hopefully cut red tape, and minimize graft and corrupt practices in government, aside from promoting investments in the country.
“Graft and corruption practices comes when there is a delay in the processing of paper works,” He said “we have to set a standard that by 3 days-10 days or 20 days, the business papers would be processed, in order to put pressure on our government officials to act on it immediately.”
The Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act under Republic Act No. 11032 was signed by the President in May this year. The new law led to the creation of the Anti-Red Tape Agency (ARTA).
Alquiza said that CESO officials should be the lead executors in implementing the Anti-Red Tape Act.
