BY this time, Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez could have bid farewell to the second most powerful post in the Palace in view of the string of controversies which included allegations of bestowing juicy government posts to the “highest bidder.”
An insider said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would be appointing Rodriguez as Philippine Ambassador to Australia.
Another hinted on the President keeping him in the Palace as his chief of staff.
What triggered such a big change was actually a revelation of a “whistleblower” who claims to have shelled out quite a huge sum to secure appointment papers for somebody else.
The whistleblower, a former general manager of a government housing agency said that he was made to bankroll at least P50 million to compel a top Palace official to release the appointment papers of several undersecretaries under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
These “nominees” are supposed to back him up for the position of president in the Socialized Housing and Finance Corporation (SHFC).
Why invest P50 million to become President of the SHFC?
For one, the man who calls himself a whistleblower is making a calibrated investment. His P50 million is just a tip of the iceberg as compared to the $1 billion housing fund which forms part of the commitment of the United States government.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work as he planned because his SHFC bid (along with hundreds of other government appointments signed by Rodriguez on behalf of the President) is now the subject of scrutiny and a possible recall by a parallel screening team that was formed to ensure that government appointees are qualified and capable of delivering results.
Well, it looks like his P50 million is gone for good since there’s no official receipt that would prove his “claim.”
At any rate, the whistleblower deserves to be at the losing end. The whistleblower who is not in any way related to the late actor Tony Ferrer, tried to buy his way into the SHFC so that he and his benefactor (who is known in the property development industry) could corner and control such huge amount intended to address the 6.5 million housing backlogs.
My take: Nobody in his right mind would spend millions of pesos to ensure that he be appointed for a public position, unless one considers the government as a place where he could turn his investment a hundred fold.
Buying government positions is evil, per se.
