DOLE chief denies receiving money, phone from recruitment agency boss

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./Presidential Photo

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has rejected allegations that he received P100,000 and a pricey mobile phone from a proprietor of a recruitment agency.

Employment agency owner Amanda Araneta claimed that she gave the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) chief  the cash gift. She also claimed Bello demanded at least P10 million for the approval of her company’s license.

“Walang katotohanan ‘yan, walang katotohanan (There’s no truth in that claim), Bello said in an interview over dzMM on Thursday.

“Wala akong inuutusang ihingi dahil bawal yan. Katiwalian ‘yan (I did not order anyone to ask for money because that’s not allowed. That’s corruption),” stressed Bello.

He also denied receiving any expensive mobile phone from Araneta, saying he only uses an old phone for “call and text.”

Bello asserted that other recruitment agencies can attest that he never requested money from them.

“In fact, madalas sinasabihan ko sila, ‘Hoy, huwag kayo mag-alok alok sa akin ng kotong, dahil mas mayaman ako sa inyo,’” he jokingly said.

(In fact, I often tell them, ‘Hey, don’t offer me bribes, because I’m richer than you.’)

Controversies and corruption allegations against Bello started to emerge in recent weeks. Bello believed these were being employed by his rivals who want his position or aims to discredit him for the Ombudsman post, which he previously applied for.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) earlier disqualified Bello for the Ombudsman position citing a pending case of syndicated estafa against him in 2012.

Bello said the JBC denied him of due process.  /kga

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