THIS is a story about a top official of the province, no need to know the name of the province.
Okay, let’s dig in.
While discussing a pending application in her office, she was all business when she recognized her visitor, a close friend of her husband. Initially, she was serious, no smiles, no friendliness either.
As I’ve said, she was all business. Or, probably, she wanted her visitor to know that she just had limited time “so better tell me your business here, quick.”
Sensing her seriousness, the visitor relayed the still-pending application in her office, even with the lapse of almost 3 months from the time her office issued a Claim Receipt.
Right away, she summoned her staff and told her to locate the logbook of the office so she could trace the so-called pending document.
When the staff returned, she was already bringing the folder containing the pending application. So she right away remembered the issues involved and told her visitor that there’s a problem.
Anticipating the issue before-hand, the visitor explained the circumstances involved and the reason why the application should be acted upon favorably.
After the explanation, the official asked some questions, clarificatory in nature, and she got more answers.
Thereafter, she promised to look into the problem and said she would release the document within the week.
She blurted that it would be thoroughly unfair for the visitor, after spending so much, to be denied favorable action on his application.
So the visitor went out a happy man.
* * *
Friday came, so the visitor called up the official and reminded her of the release of the document sought.
And the official blurted that she would release it in the afternoon.
She repeated her earlier observation that it would be an injustice to withhold the document applied for when the visitor had spent much already.
Afternoon came and the visitor again called the official for the release of the document.
But lo and behold, the official would not release the document any longer. She said she could not release it because somebody told her not to do so.
When asked who told her to withhold the release, she refused to identify the person who stopped her.
She said she would rather withhold the release of the document than compromise her office.
So the visitor vented his frustrations to his lawyer.
* * *
The lawyer demanded a physical meeting so they could discuss the issues thoroughly.
It was then that the visitor blurted that he had spent 50,000 for the subordinate and another 150,000 for the official.
How did this happen, he was asked.
Well, when the official learned that the subordinate had asked for 50,000 and the visitor wanted to give the same amount to the official, the latter countered that since she would be the approving official, the amount of 150,000 would be fair.
When the visitor agreed, the official promised that the document would be ready for release within 3 days.
One month, then 2 months, still the document applied for was not released.
So the visitor relayed and sought help from a friend who talked/discussed the issue with the official.
* * *
The lawyer wasted no time in demanding thru a letter, copy furnished the Civil Service Commission, to the Governor and to the Ombudsman, for the release of the document sought.
The lawyer spelled out several violations under the Ease of Doing Business Act, the corresponding IRR, the CSC Resolution to this effect, as well as the provisions Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.
When the official received her copy, she immediately panicked and texted the visitor that yes, she would answer.
The visitor replied that whether the official would answer or not, it was no longer important. She had crossed the line, she had pretended to be pearl-white when she was really corrupt and inefficient and she violated several laws in the process.
When the official said she would explain her side, the visitor said she should also explain the fact that the visitor had already spent a total of 200,000 as part of the processing of the document.
The official was silent after that.
* * *
Paka-aron-ingnon nga tarong, nanghambog pa nga bisan gi-oferan siya og pila ka milyon iyang gibalibaran kay di siya mapalit og di siya mahimong paliton, labi na kay giampingan niya ang iyang dungog, apil ang integridad sa iyang opisina, the visitor relayed the official’s litany to the lawyer.
Nanghambog pa nga ready siya nga kasohan basta lang mobarog gyod siya sa katarong, bahala og balibaran niya ang milyon nga gi-offer ngadto kaniya. Unya diay to, mao pod ang kusog nangayo og 150,000, labaw nga kantidad kay sa gipangayo sa iyang sakop, the visitor recounted.
Well, the lawyer did not disappoint.
The necessary documents are now ready for filing.
Good thing if the husband of the official knows that his wife is doing kutong to her clientele kay molaban pa tingali sa asawa. Ang pait og wa masayod ang bana sa pangurakot sa asawa unya matingala og asa diay gibutang ang iyang mga kwarta nga gikurakot. Kon mahitabo na, mag-unsa na lang kaha ang opisyal sa kapitolyo nga naglabad na og sugod ang ulo sa problema.
Ahemmm.
