LACSON FILES GRAFT, CORRUPTION CHARGES
VS JUSTICE SECRETARY GONZALEZ FOR P10,000 OFFER

To drive home the point that public office is a public trust, re-electionist Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson filed criminal charges against Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Monday for offering village officials in Iloilo P10,000 each in exchange for 12-0 votes for administration senatorial bets.

Lacson, who lodged charges against Gonzalez for corruption of public officials and for violating the anti-graft law before the Office of the Ombudsman, challenged Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to act swiftly and fairly on his complaint.

"On a larger perspective, said offer of Secretary Gonzalez will have a far-reaching effect as this will make the officials concerned and the public in general complacent and look the other way even in the face of massive cheating that will be committed just to ensure the victory of Team Unity candidates," he said in his complaint.

He added it was clear that the promise of P10,000 was designed to influence barangay officials to vote and to work doubly hard for a 12-0 vote in favor of Team Unity, "an act which is tantamount to vote buying and punishable under the Omnibus Election Code."

Worse, he said Gonzalez remained defiant and claimed he did nothing wrong, by claiming non-candidates are not prohibited from buying votes, and that the funds will come from his own pocket anyway.

"The said statements and pronouncements clearly show the blatant disregard of our laws by no less than the Secretary of Justice who should for all intents and purposes be the epitome of honesty and justness," he said.

On the other hand, he said Gonzalez's apparent lack of remorse for what he has committed, evidently violated the mandate of the Constitution with respect to the conduct required of public officers, that public office is a public trust.

"Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives," he said.

Lacson pointed out that Gonzalez's acts constitute the crime of attempted corruption of public officials penalized under Article 212 in relation to Article 6 (Consummated, Frustrated and Attempted Felonies) of the Revised Penal Code.

The provision penalizes "any person who shall have made the offers or promises or given the gifts of presents."

He added Gonzalez is liable for violating Section 3(a) of the Anti-Graft Law, which punishes "persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform an act constituting a violation of rules and regulations."