Singson’s P200,000 reward accepted by MMDA illegal – CSC

Civil Service Commissioner Aileen Lizada. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) stated that under the country’s law, an agency is prohibited from accepting rewards or any gratuity of monetary value, regardless of the donor’s intention.

READ: Chavit Singson ups ‘reward’, but MMDA says ‘no strings attached’

This statement comes from CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada on Monday.

Lizada’s remark comes after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) confirmed that it received a P200,000 donation from former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson whose two-vehicle convoy was earlier caught using the Edsa busway.

Singson personally apologized for using the Edsa Busway in early April.

Then, he made a P200,000 donation, which MMDA also confirmed on Monday.

“Sa pananaw ko po, I used to be with the Office of the Ombudsman at sa batas po — [Republic Act No.] 6713 [ay] bawal po,” said Attorney Lizada in a Bagong Pilipinas briefing when she was asked if what MMDA was did was right or wrong.

(Based on my point of view, I used to be with the Office of the Ombudsman and based on law — RA 6713, it is not allowed.)

“Meron po tayong (we have) Republic Act 6713. Ang Section 7 po, sinasabi (this section states), and I’d like to read it: Solicitation [or] acceptance of gift – Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept directly or indirectly any gratuity, gift, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties of, in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office,” she pointed out.

READ: Chavit caught on Edsa bus lane, enforcers apologetic

MMDA chairperson Romando Artes had said the donated amount will go to MMDA’s general fund and will “not be distributed to a particular person or group.”

“It will be considered a donation to the agency — not for a specific purpose. It will go to the general fund needed to be allocated by the Metro Manila Council before it is used,” explained Artes in a press conference early Monday morning.

But Lizada countered this kind of reasoning.

She stated that the only one entity that can “deposit” to the general fund of government agencies is the Department of Bureau and Management.