Palace assures probe on DAP exec’s ‘anomalies’

FILE: Harry Roque (PCOO PHOTO)

MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday President Rodrigo Duterte would surely “investigate” the reported irregularities in the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), under its president, Elba Cruz.

Roque made the statement when asked regarding the Palace’s reaction on calls from DAP employees to remove Cruz over her questionable foreign trips and lack of “knowledge, temperament and behavior” to lead the institution.

“It was made in a very public manner. I’m sure the President will investigate this particular complaint,” he said. “As you can see, the President does not take issues of corruption sitting down.”

According to the DAP Personnel Association, Cruz’s appointment expired last June 30 and she is serving on a hold-over capacity, pending the appointment of a new chief.

In a petition, the group called on the Governance Commission for GOCCs and the Office of the President to immediately appoint her replacement.
The group said Cruz is accountable for several “transgressions”, one of which is her “unauthorized organizational restructuring” of the DAP.
“Since she took over in April 2017, there have been several unauthorized restructuring and creation of offices at the Academy, resulting in additional costs and displacement of permanent Civil Service Commission appointees,” the statement reads.

They also cited her “frequent foreign travels”, saying that during her eight months in office, Cruz has gone on travels abroad every month.

The employees said this deprived the academy of executive time for hands-on management and “worse, incurring unnecessary travel expenses that must have exceeded financial limitations given their frequency”.

The association also accused Cruz of violating CSC rules on arbitrary and forced personnel movements and “continued threats to remove employees”.