ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Nov 12 (PIA) – To promote the adherence to high standard of ethics in public service to the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees of the Western Command (WESCOM), the Office of Ethical Standard and Public Accountability (OESPA) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted on November 4 an information drive about Republic Act 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.
The 6th Civil Relations Group of the AFP reported that AFP Vice Chief of Staff LTGen Reynaldo B. Mapagu AFP took part in the information drive held at the Social Hall of the WESCOM Headquarters.
The information drive served to remind the officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees of WESCOM that “public office is a public trust” and, therefore, they must always perform their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity and competence.
The code, which was the primary subject of the information drive, requires government officials and employees alike to commit themselves foremost to public interest and to be responsive to the public. It upholds professionalism, justness and sincerity, political neutrality, nationalism and patriotism and commitment to democracy.
Conducted by the OESPA annually, the information campaign aims to curtail corrupt practices in the armed forces, promote honesty and integrity in the military service and inculcate a strong sense of public accountability among the military and civilian personnel of the AFP.
Military and civilian personnel of WESCOM have also been taught of the proper way to fill up their respective Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth (SALN). Besides being a tool for monitoring who among the AFP personnel are amassing unexplainable wealth, the SALN also serves as a deterrent for anybody who might be thinking of enriching himself beyond legal means.
“As public servants, we cannot allow our credibility to be tarnished by even the tiniest doubt of corrupt practices, which is why we should always adhere to the highest standard of conduct and ethics that have been set for us,” WESCOM Commander LTGen Juancho M. Sabban AFP stressed. (JPA/6CRGAFP/RVC-PIA9 ZBST)