MANILA, Philippines – The chief convenor for Solidarity and Sovereignty Adolfo Paglinawan has filed a compendium of at least 10 graft and corruption cases against Department of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and three other labor officials at the Ombudsman on Wednesday, 06 November 2019.

Paglinawan charged Bello for graft and corruption and malfeasance for his abuse of power in making at least 40 travels abroad and has accordingly caused the government to spend on these trips amounting at least P4 million pesos.

“I am fed up with investigations by public officials of Silvestre Bello III and those who in one way or another, has benefitted from his corrupt activities, and so after almost a year, I now step up to the plate and initiate their prosecution at the appropriate venue provided by law.” Paglinawan said in a press conference.

Paglinawan also stated that in 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte fired the chairman of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor Terry Ridon for making at least seven (7) trips abroad and Maritime Authority Administrator Marcial Quirico Amaro for making 24 trips outside the country.

He also enumerated three specific instances when the labor secretary authorized excessive travels for other labor officials.

In relation to this, Paglinawan named Atty. Ria Corazon who made twelve (12) trips from April 29, 2018 to October 2, 2019.

Director Noel Binag had eight (8) travels abroad from March 31, 2018 to September 27, 2019. Jessica Gabriel Abad also went abroad six (6) times from October 14, 2017 to October 17, 2018 the complaint said.

Paglinawan is the lead convenor of Solidarity for Sovereignty (S4S), an advocate for social reforms and crusaders since 2009 in exposing graft and corruption of government officials and private persons.

The S4S lead convenor added that there are 10 cases that has been filed with the Ombudsman but Malacañang only recognizes but three of the said cases.

Paglinawan also claimed he now expects for Secretary Bello to file a resignation in no time in order to spare DOLE and the Office of the President from further shame and embarrassment. (Cate Pallarco/Lloyd Tagbago/IAMIGO/CNS)