Jurado grateful for chance to serve government, reform OGCC

MANILA, Philippines — Despite President Rodrigo Duterte's harsh words for him, former Government Corporate Counsel Rudolf Philip Jurado on Tuesday said that he is thankful for the opportunity to serve in the Duterte administration.

“I accept and respect our president’s decision. As an appointee who serves under his pleasure, I am honored to have been given a chance to serve under his administration,” said Jurado in a message to reporters.

Duterte did not hide his ire against Jurado when he fired the government counsel on Monday. Speaking at Malacañang during the ceremonial enactment of two laws, the president said: “May I call the government corporate counsel? Are you (here)? If you are here, come out, you son of a b****. You are fired. I do not need you and maybe you don't need me.”

The chief executive also called Jurado a "fool" for a legal opinion authorizing the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone to grant permits outside its controlled area.

Jurado earlier explained that his legal opinion was based on the APECO Charter that provides that APECO can operate outside the Aurora Economic Zone as long as it is within a PEZA controlled area.

Jurado did not give specifics, but Section 12 of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Act authorizes it to "operate on its own, either directly or through a subsidiary entity, or concession or license to others, tourism-related activities, including games, amusements and nature parks, recreational and sports facilities such as casinos, online game facilities, golf courses and others under priorities and standards set by the APECO."

The same charter authorizes APECO to "enter into mutual cooperation agreement with the PEZA for the utilization of the PEZA's resources, facilities and assets."

The government counsel, during his stint at the Government Corporate Counsel, also fought off ouster calls by OGCC lawyers who accused him of approving a 75-year casino permit.

Jurado denied the allegations and said that the OGCC lawyers may have accused him of corruption because of his order to the lawyers to comply with the Commission on Audit after the agency flagged excess allowances received by them.

READ: OGCC chief implements reforms on lawyers’ allowances

According to a COA report last March, five OGCC lawyers – Deputy Government Corporate Counsel Elpidio Vega and OGCC lawyers Medardo Devera, Manuel Santos Jr., Efren Gonzales and Aniceto Calubaquid Jr. – received excess allowances totaling P621,717.73 last year.

Even before the COA issued its observation report, Jurado recalled that when he began work last April 2017, some OGCC officers tried to convince him to receive allowance worth P500,000 per month but he turned it down.

“I also refused to receive the P1.2 million worth of service vehicle and instead ordered the budget for such vehicle to be returned to the Department of Budget and Management,” Jurado added.