Who’s lying? Let the test begin!

“Bello should know that being an appointed official he falls under the jurisdiction of PACC.

A recruiter who filed a complaint for grave misconduct and dishonesty against Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III yesterday expressed readiness to take the lie detector test with him before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Amanda Araneta, owner of MMML Recruitment Agency, said she can take the polygraph test with Bello anytime to determine who between them is lying.

Bello’s dare to take the test was issued not directly to Araneta but to all his accusers, like Kilusang Pagbabago National Movement for Change secretary-general Monalie Dizon.

Dizon, Araneta and the owner of Azzizzah International Manpower Services Inc. have filed separate complaints against Bello and Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say before the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

In deflecting the accusations that he pocketed millions of pesos and received gifts from recruiters in exchange for their licenses being renewed, Bello dared his accusers to take the test with him.

“We could go to a lie detector test,” Bello said on radio. “If there is anyone who can say that I asked for money or received money, I am willing to resign immediately. I don’t like to be in government if that is the case. I challenge anybody to come out.”

Araneta accused Bello of receiving gifts from her, consisting of P100,000 in cash and an Iphone in Christmas of 2016 and another P100,000 and an expensive perfume as birthday gift in 2017.

She maintained she has witnesses who will attest to Bello accepting the gifts from her.

Dizon also filed an extortion complaint against Bello and Say involving recruitment agency Azzizzah. She alleged the extortion was carried out through DoLE’s Administrative Order 241 signed by Bello in June last year.

The order removed from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) the power to issue and renew the licenses of recruitment agencies.

Dizon averred they noticed a pattern whereby recruitment agencies got their licenses within a week and a month while others got theirs after waiting for as long as a year.

Azzizzah’s appeal to reinstate its license was decided by the DoLE after just eight days in exchange for P6.8 million in bribe money allegedly given in three tranches to Say’s collector Vanessa Josue, she added.

Another recruitment agency paid P1.5 million to Say, according to Dizon.

Azzizzah’s owner also filed a sworn complaint against Bello and Say before President Rodrigo Duterte. The President immediately fired Say.

Both acts of gift-giving and gift-taking involving government officials and personnel are criminal offenses under Philippine laws, including the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Araneta, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the PACC will conduct a thorough investigation and then recommend to President Duterte Bello’s dismissal.

She chided the labor official for asking the complaints be filed in court, saying Bello should know that being an appointed official he falls under the jurisdiction of PACC.

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