Ombudsman Advises Public Servants: Use No Govt. Vehicles This Holy Week

Records show that the government is losing at least P9-million weekly on government vehicles being used for unofficial purposes nationwide.

Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio S. Apostol is reminding all government officials and employees not to use their service (government) vehicles in their out of town family vacations for the Holy Week and on April 9, 2012 which is also declared a public holiday.

Those found to have utilized the vehicles for personal purposes and/or have no duly issued trip tickets to record the trips may be considered liable under the following laws: R.A. 3019, R.A. 6713, Revised Administrative Code of the Philippines, Commission on Audit (COA) Circulars, sections of the Government Accounting and Auditing Manual, and other executive issuances.

To intensify the campaign against improper uses of government vehicles, the Ombudsman-Visayas created an Inter-Agency Task Force on O-Plan Red Plate with partner agencies, the Commission on Audit (COA), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Several government officials using government vehicles for unofficial purposes have already been penalized. Other cases are still pending fact-finding investigation and administrative adjudication.

The convergence of efforts of the Inter-Agency Task Force have resulted to positive responses from the concerned agencies that now use Trip Tickets for their travels. Their vehicles also bear office name or logo and “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” signs.

The success of the Oplan Red Plate Program is attributed to the active support of the people of Western Visayas.

The Ombudsman-Regional Office is appealing to the public to be vigilant and report any incidence of violation of the aforesaid laws to the Inter-Agency Task-Force numbers 09178898662 (Ombudsman); 09155391957 (COA); 09215241312 (LTO); 09165412152 or 09087869948 (CSC); 09999955072 or 09173233809 (PNP); and 09209459384 (PIA). To report, please send the plate number; color and type of the vehicle; place and time where the vehicle is spotted and picture (if available). /MP