Justice Secretary: Let’s avoid conflict of interest

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima is wary about allowances given by local governments.

“I always have reservations about that. I saw that most of our local prosecutor’s offices are receiving allowances from LGUs. I feel that that’s not an ideal situation, and in fact it’s questionable,” said De Lima in an interview with Cebu reporters last Saturday.

De Lima was the guest speaker during the graduation rites at the Indiana Aerospace University in Lapu-Lapu City.

She discouraged prosecutors from seeking and receiving allowances from LGUs.

“It’s untenable in a sense. Since we are prosecutors, there are cases that we need to prosecute, which may involve local personalities, including local government officials. Then, certainly we are placed in a conflict-of-interest situation,” De Lima said.

“Some of our local prosecutor’s offices approached LGUs for assistance. But I’m trying to discourage that. Kon maari sanang maiwasan yon. (If possible, we should do away with that)  she added.

De Lima, however, said she knew that prosecutors acted due to “resource constraints.”

She said the DOJ has been coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management to try to increase salaries and benefits.

A prosecutor has a basic salary of P25,000 to P50,000 depending on his rank or length of service.

Depending on where he or she is assigned, a monthly stipend from the local government unit is given if the town, city or province has a budget for it.

Prosecutors also receive “special”  allowances from the DOJ ranging from P10,000 to P15,000 and released quarterly.

The national conference of the Prosecutor’s League of the Philippines opened yesterday and will end on Friday.