Ombudsman warns public officials: Government vehicles are banned during Holy Week

Press Release
By Office of the Ombudsman
April 5, 2007

MANILA, Philippines  –  In line with the government’s energy conservation efforts, the Office of the Ombudsman issued a warning to government officials who will be using their government-issued vehicles, especially during the Holy Week break.

Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni, who heads the Task Force Red Plate, said they have already deployed personnel who will conduct undercover monitoring of government vehicles being used for non-official purposes.

“The crackdown on unauthorized use of government vehicles continues. The task force will collate all the information pertaining to government vehicles and will act on reports of concerned citizens, including complaints received by the Ombudsman,” he warned.

Ombudsman Merceditas N. Gutierrez has directed Jalandoni to directly submit to her, on a regular basis, a progress report on all the cases related to the unauthorized use of government vehicles.

The Office of the Ombudsman estimates that on a weekly basis, government is losing at least P9 million on government vehicles that are being used for non-official purposes nationwide

Jalandoni reminded government officials and employees that their service vehicles cannot be used for four days this week - from Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday to Easter Sunday.

“These cars cannot be used for their out of town vacations. Cars bearing red plates should not be seen around, whether in Metro Manila or in the provinces. Our men are out in the field checking the use of these government vehicles,” he said.

Jalandoni nevertheless encouraged the public to support the program against the illegal use of government vehicles by reporting suspected violators to the task force at their hotlines: 426-7750; 926-9765; and 926-9032 local 411.

Jalandoni said that public officials should take notice of the prohibition on the unauthorized use of red plate vehicles, which is found under Section 361 (d) of the Government Accounting and Auditing Manual (GAAM).

The law particularly bars “the use of government vehicles on Sundays, legal holidays, out of regular office hours or outside the route of the officials or employees authorized to use them.”

Aside from this, Jalandoni reiterated that the law strictly prohibits the use of government vehicles for private social functions and “the use thereof by the spouses, children, relatives, friends, etc.”

The Ombudsman earlier slapped a suspension of six months without pay on Mariano Martinez, general manager of the Cebu Ports Authority after he was found to have used his Toyota Revo (GMC-990) unofficially in transporting his daughter to and from school.