No way to get rich

That news story published in Manila Bulletin Friday (June 1, 2012) entitled: “Want to get rich? Don’t work in gov’t”, is a hard pill that must be swallowed by all well-wishers in government service. It came from a top official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto Henares. At least, with that blatant expression, all must heed to this early warning because according to her, government is “for service and not to get extra income”.

Commissioner Henares is of the view that “those assets which cannot be explained or supported with a document will be treated as coming from illegal sources”. The Income Tax Returns (ITR) and the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) are two of the most important documents which if complied with faithfully would save a public officer or employee from the rigors of facing an administrative charge which could result to the suspension or worse, termination of  the service in government.

We can take this as part of the “moving on” agenda of the national government after the Prosecution Panel won the legal battle over the removal to office of the chief magistrate of the land. But wait, taking a last glance at the conviction of which former CJ Corona was charged, Article II of that Impeachment Complaint was about his failure to disclose in his SALN some of his assets (both the multi-million peso and US dollar accounts) which, according to the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court, a culpable violation of the constitution and betrayal of public trust.

That could be absurdly dangerous now considering that assets not found in SALN is an intentional violation of the 1987 Constitution and one which pertains to a violation of oath of office of a public officer or employee. Such chronic frailties or negligence to disclose in a SALN could warrant removal into office of a government worker. I personally see some advantages in elevating the case of Corona to the High Court, if at all, there was grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction of the Senate sitting as an impeachment court, even if part of the issue the senator-judges resolve was a political question. The only intention is to educate the bench and the bar. One can cite the decision arrived at that impeachment court as a precedence but not necessarily jurisprudence. However, what I think is prevailing at this time is public interest; that Senators’ decision is backed up by popular will of the Filipino people over the personal interest of Corona to cling into office.

Delsa Flores, a court interpreter in Panabo City for her failure to disclose in her SALN an inherited property was also removed from office according to a Supreme Court decision.  Flores has found relief and vindication when no less than the Chief Justice was terminated due to that same ground. She said, the law has been applied fairly and equally to all. That’s why she has “gained back the confidence to our judicial system”. I don’t know what she meant by it as the impeachment court is not part of our judicial system, as it does not care about resolving cases, except on impeachment. But upon the thought of disrobing a dishonest magistrate from his seat of power could very well support that statement of Flores.

Entering government service then is a self-deprivation to material longings. State workers can only receive such compensation within the bounds of the law, nothing more and nothing less. For when wages and salaries are legislated, what could a poor employee expect? Standardization of salary is a product of Congress and not from the courts. May those tasked by law be more enlightened to pursue a more realistic budget for the salaries and wages of state workers as a gift. That longing is not too high to reach compared to those reportedly amassed by some corrupt officials in our government. At the end of all these arguments, it is still serving the people that really matters.