DOLE hands off on PRC official charged with bribery

MANILA, Philippines - Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Commissioner Alfredo Po, who has been charged with bribery, is a presidential appointee and thus out of the Department of Labor and Employment’s jurisdiction, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said yesterday.

Po was appointed by President Aquino “so I have no jurisdiction over the administrative aspect” of his case,” Baldoz said in an interview. “We already got the documents from the Supreme Court and we forwarded them to the Office of the President which will handle this.”

Three weeks ago, four criminal charges were filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Po before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly demanding and receiving some P478,000 as his “commission” for the rentals being paid by the PRC for its satellite office in Baguio City.

The charges include direct bribery under Section 210 of the Revised Penal Code; graft under Section 3(b) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; solicitation or acceptance of gifts, under Section 7(d) of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; and simple robbery under Articles 293 and 294 of the RPC.

Ernesto delos Santos, owner-lessor of the rented building at Abanao Extension, alleged that Po demanded a monthly commission of P42,800.

Last Dec. 5, the National Bureau of Investigation’s Counter-Terrorism Division set up an entrapment in Po’s office in Manila when Delos Santos said he was delivering some P394,000 to the official.