He has not even warmed his seat, and already a Cabinet secretary is facing a complaint for allegedly violating Presidential Decree 1869 and Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“The secretary was frequently seen in a casino in Pasay City. He used an alias to hide his identity,” a source told Nosy Tarsee.

According to the source, long before his appointment, the official was a regular at the gaming tables, slipping in under another name and usually late at night when the crowd had thinned out and familiar faces were easier to avoid.

Establishment staff reportedly grew used to seeing him, though few realized who he actually was until his official photo started circulating in the news.

“We were all surprised when we saw the announcement. Same face, different name,” the source said, adding that casino personnel had simply assumed he was a well-off private businessman with a taste for high-stakes gambling.

Another source close to the appointment process said the official’s gambling habit was an open secret in certain circles, but it apparently wasn’t enough to derail his nomination.

“Section 14 of Presidential Decree 1869 prohibits the entry of government employees in casinos. On the other hand, RA No. 6713 mandates government officials to have simple lives and not lavish ones,” the source said, noting that the law draws no distinction between an official’s public and private hours. The prohibition is total.

Adding another layer to the intrigue, a separate source claimed the controversial appointee leapfrogged a candidate supposedly next in line for the post, someone reportedly more qualified and further along in the vetting process, because the new secretary happens to be a godson of a far more powerful government figure.

“Palakasan talaga,” the source said, using the Filipino term for favoritism, or rather, connections trumping competence.

Whether the complaint gains traction—or simply joins the pile of similar grievances gathering dust—remains to be seen. But for a Cabinet appointee barely settled into the job, the timing couldn’t be worse.