Provincial governor to face rap for violating transactions’ processing time

MANILA, Philippines — A complaint will be filed against a provincial governor in the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday for violating processing time of transactions and the zero-contact policy, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) director General Jeremiah Belgica disclosed.

“So masasabi ko po itong governor po na ito ay nagviolate po dyan, sa processing times po natin at pati na rin po doon sa zero-contact policy,” Belgica said during the weekly economic briefing in Malacañang.

(What I can divulge is that this governor violated the processing time and zero-contact policy.)

Belgica, however, opted not to name the said provincial governor “for safety and security purposes.”

Belgica explained there are permits withheld either for personal motives or no reason at all which he stressed is not allowed.

“Mga permit na inipit na hilig po ng ibang mga government agencies po na merong mga personal na layunin na hindi po natin alam. Una, bawal na bawal po ‘yan. Iipitin po ang papel nang wala namang dahilan, nag-aantay ka hindi mo alam, so for whatever reason,” he said.

(There are permits being withheld, a practice which government agencies are inclined to do, especially those who have personal motives we do not know of. First of all, that’s illegal. Documents are being withheld for no reason, you are waiting without knowing whatever reason.)

“Sabi nga po ng ating Pangulo, kung kumpleto na sa ating listahan, sinubmit, nabayaran na lahat at nandyan na sa citizens’ charter ang lahat ng mga kailangan, hindi mo na pwedeng dagdagan ang requirement o hindi mo pwedeng patagalin lagpas doon sa ating 3, 7, 20 [days] processing times,” he added.

(Just like what the President said, if our list is already complete, everything has been submitted and paid for, and it’s already in the citizens’ charter, one cannot add more requirements nor prolong beyond the 3, 7, 20 days of processing times.)

This will not be the first time for ARTA to file a complaint before the Ombudsman against a public official. Last week, ARTA filed a complaint against San Nicolas, Batangas Mayor Lester de Sagun for allegedly refusing to grant a building permit without justifiable cause.

READ: Mayor faces complaint for not issuing building permit

Excluding the impending complaint, Belgica said ARTA already filed seven complaints before the Ombudsman against officials for violating the Anti-Red Tape Act.

“The cases filed, we have two register of deeds, one city mayor, one clerk, so that’s four, and tomorrow with the governor, so we have around five. And also with the LTFRB, three officials were charged,” Belgica said in a mix of English and Filipino. /je