DOTC CHIEF RESIGNED POST EFFECTIVE JULY 1 / BUCOR CHIEF DIOKNO RESIGNS
MANILA, JUNE 2, 2011 (STAR) By Aurea Calica - A day after Jose de Jesus (photo) said rumors of his resignation were "not true," Malacañang announced yesterday that he had quit as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) effective July 1.
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said De Jesus "probably wants to do something else."
Malacañang made the announcement a day after DOTC Undersecretary Dante Velasco denied reports that De Jesus had quit.
Yesterday, Velasco said they were caught by surprise by the resignation of De Jesus.
"He gave no indication that he had resigned when we met him in a meeting last Tuesday. He was even giving us many deadlines on various tasks," Velasco said.
"We were really surprised. We're sad because it was so sudden. But we understand," he said.
The reason for the resignation, Velasco said, was that De Jesus wants to go back to private life, and had apparently given himself only a year to serve at the DOTC.
"He said: 'I'd like to go back to private life, I've completed my one year of service, I've served the government enough,' " Velasco quoted De Jesus as saying.
The resignation came after sources revealed De Jesus had a closed-door meeting with President Aquino last Monday. The meeting apparently triggered speculation about the resignation.
Ochoa said he was not aware of what transpired during the meeting between the President and De Jesus.
Asked whether the President was not satisfied with De Jesus' performance, Ochoa said: "I don't think so."
Sources revealed De Jesus wanted to go back to the private sector. The sources, however, could not reveal the details of the meeting between De Jesus and the President.
Ochoa said only the President knows which Cabinet official would possibly be reassigned to another position if concerns about his department are not resolved.
He said Aquino was being careful not to mention any name or refer to anyone in particular.
"Up to now the President has kept to himself whoever he was referring to. As far as I'm concerned, he has not discussed it with me so I'm not in a position to tell you what it really meant," Ochoa said.
There had been reports that Aquino was not happy with the slow pace of work of De Jesus, who may have been asked to resign.
But Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President was grateful to De Jesus for having "eased" the concerns of the government in the infrastructure and transport sector.
Coloma, who was with the presidential delegation in Brunei, said De Jesus had expressed his "preference to return to the private sector after completing his one-year service."
Coloma explained De Jesus would stay until June 30, a full year after his appointment to the DOTC.
De Jesus was the public works secretary of Aquino's mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. He is also a board member of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation.
"He (Aquino) thanked him (De Jesus) for his service to the nation," Coloma added.
Coloma confirmed the meeting between De Jesus and the President last Monday.
"It was a very cordial meeting between the two of them," Coloma said.
He, however, refused to say if Aquino has a replacement ready or if De Jesus was being offered another post.
Coloma also did not say what prompted De Jesus to quit.
"No such discussion regarding the circumstances. I think it is best for the President himself to be the one to express his sentiments over the matter," he said.
Power struggle
Lawmakers said there is more than meets the eye in De Jesus' resignation. They said Malacañang should be transparent on why De Jesus suddenly resigned from the Cabinet.
"At the moment we are not privy, or we are not aware and we do not know the real reason (for De Jesus' resignation) but think ultimately the real reason will have to come out and I think it's not really a question of health… most probably policy conflicts with the Aquino administration," House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said.
Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said "it is very regrettable that someone credible and experienced as Ping de Jesus will resign from the Cabinet."
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said De Jesus could have been a victim of rival factions in the government and in the industries that his agency regulates.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, however, downplayed reports that De Jesus could have been a victim of a power struggle.
Enrile though appealed to the public not to speculate on the reasons why De Jesus decided to quit. "I do not know. Let us not talk about possibilities," he said.
Sen. Francis Escudero hailed De Jesus for being efficient at the helm of the DOTC. He said De Jesus was able to "run the department professionally."
According to Escudero, De Jesus was reluctant to join the Cabinet last year but was eventually persuaded by President Aquino.
Escudero said there was an agreement regarding his appointment to the DOTC.
"There is an understanding that he will not be there for the entire term. But when his (De Jesus) name was submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA), where he was eventually confirmed, I thought he will serve longer," he said.
Escudero though stressed he did know the reason behind De Jesus' resignation.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the resignation of De Jesus could be a part of "house cleaning" of Aquino.
"That's the house cleaning with the Aquino administration. I would not want to comment on their house cleaning efforts or their internal conflicts as long as it does not slow down the efforts of government to provide services especially in the transportation and communication sector," he said.
Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the competence, integrity and dedication to public service of De Jesus "will surely be missed."
"He was really an asset to the Aquino administration but we just have to respect his decision," he said. – With Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez, Rainier Allan Ronda
Diokno resigns By Aurea Calica and Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) Updated May 31, 2011 12:00 AMComments (163)
(Ernesto Diokno faces the DOJ last week.)
MANILA, Philippines - Saying public interest should always prevail over friendship, President Aquino announced yesterday his acceptance of the resignation of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ernesto Diokno after the latter failed to give him a satisfactory explanation for irregularities in the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).
Aquino said Diokno tendered his irrevocable resignation during their meeting at Malacañang before 2 p.m., and he thanked Diokno for his "service and delicadeza."
The President told reporters at a hurriedly arranged press briefing at the New Executive Building that he already had a person in mind to replace Diokno.
He said criticisms that he was soft on his friends in government were baseless as he and Diokno had been through a lot, especially during the times when his mother, Corazon Aquino, was fighting for democracy and Diokno was still a police officer.
"His decision to step down from his position will pave the way for the immediate implementation of reforms that we want to undertake in the system of corrections, many of which he (Diokno) had already stated," Aquino said.
"Public service depends largely on the people's trust and that is why anyone who serves in government has the freedom to weigh whether he is able to fulfill his sworn duties. I praise Mr. Diokno for making a decision on the dictates of his conscience," Aquino said.
"Our policy is clear. Only the interest of the people shall guide us in our decisions and not association or friendship," Aquino stressed.
The President said that from the beginning, his government has maintained that the duty of all public servants is to selflessly serve the Filipino people.
Aquino said he has repeatedly pointed out the immense responsibilities that go with public service and that the NBP incident should serve as a lesson on how to improve the penal system in the country.
The President said Diokno was not able to explain why he was not able to stop the irregularities in the NBP.
The irregularities came to light after homicide convict and former Batangas governor Jose Antonio Leviste was found to have left the NBP compound reportedly for an appointment with a dentist in Makati City.
Diokno had admitted knowledge of Leviste's prison privileges but had reportedly only warned him of sanctions.
The President said any administrative case against Diokno had become moot and academic with his resignation.
Aquino disclosed he and Diokno talked for about 20 minutes yesterday.
He said he liked it that Diokno was not "thick skinned" or "kapit tuko" and that he might consider him in another position, but not in the near future and not in the "same situation."
Aquino said Diokno was no longer a "spring chicken" and was actually in retirement stage.
The President said the former BuCor director did not say sorry but his resignation could be the "best form of apology."
"I felt his pain. He told me it had been a tough job," Aquino said.
"This administration has always stressed integrity among public servants, and everyone accountable for the breach in BuCor will be determined and meted the proper disciplinary action," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
"The proposed reforms in our country's prison system, which the President recently asked from various concerned government agencies, will be making their way to his office," Lacierda said, referring to possible relocation of the prison facility from Muntinlupa City.
DOJ report
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Diokno is administratively liable for Leviste's unauthorized trip.
In its 36-page report to President Aquino, the DOJ fact-finding panel also recommended criminal and administrative actions against Leviste's custodian Fortunato Justo for infidelity in custody of a prisoner.
The DOJ submitted the report to the President a few hours before Diokno's resignation.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Diokno's decision to quit was a "graceful exit" and the "most honorable, selfless way to address the issue."
Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) founding chairman Dante Jimenez, meanwhile, asked the DOJ to look deeper into the case, possibly into the possible liability of former BuCor director Oscar Calderon.
"Although an expanded probe of the anomalies at BuCor and NBP would open up the flood gates, but at least we can find out the truth. We have to determine those responsible for these irregularities," Jimenez said.
The DOJ sought explanation from Calderon for Leviste's "sleep out" status during his watch, but he was not able to attend the fact-finding hearings last week as he was reportedly out of the country. With such privilege, Leviste was allowed to stay in a private hut within the NBP compound.
Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, who supervised the probe, said the DOJ did not include Calderon in its 36-page report to the President since the former BuCor chief did not participate in the investigation.
"It would be unfair to include him (Calderon) in the investigation because he did not attend the hearing and it was focused on the Leviste incident only," Baraan explained.
Diokno had denied liability for the incident and instead pointed to NBP superintendent Ramon Reyes.
He also explained that the 71-year-old convict was already enjoying privileges when he assumed his post in October last year.
Reyes told The STAR he was saddened by Diokno's decision to quit.
"It's painful because he is my friend and he has introduced reforms [in the penitentiary] but what can we do? Such incidents really do happen," Reyes said.
It was found during the probe that Calderon approved living out privileges for Leviste after the latter became a minimum-security prisoner on July 2, 2010.
A Makati City court convicted Leviste of homicide for killing a close aide at his LPL building in January 2007, and sentenced him to six years to 12 years in prison. He was moved to the NBP on Jan. 26, 2009.
The former Batangas governor was later assigned to NBP's agro section upon the request of its chief Wilson Marquez, so he could assist in the propagation of seedlings for forest trees.
He was given sleep out privileges under the custodial responsibility of prison guard Justo by then-NBP Superintendent Armando Miranda.
The DOJ earlier filed charges of evasion of service of sentence against Leviste and his driver Nilo Solis before the Makati City metropolitan trial court.
"I am deeply committed to reform the BuCor. I plan to create a technical working group that would dig deeper and review and study rules and processes there – especially now that several issues on food budget, bidding and escape of inmates like Frank Chua have come out in the open," De Lima stressed. She was referring to the Taiwanese drug convict who was able to escape from the NBP. – Delon Porcalla, Aie Balagtas See
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