The Social Security System’s employees’ union—the Alert and Concerned Employees of the SSS or ACCESS—on Monday called for a speedy and impartial resolution of the ongoing case against four officials of the pension fund, saying the trial by publicity of the administrative complaint has already compromised the integrity of the institution.
Wearing a blue ribbon during the agency’s flag-raising ceremony, ACCESS president Amorsolo Competente asked SSS employees to show their support for the immediate and fair resolution of the complaint through proper investigation while observing due process.
Competente invited all SSS workers across the country to wear blue ribbons as a sign of unity “to discover the truth behind the controversy and show support for our beloved agency.”
“You may be thinking that we are here to defend the accused. No, we are defending the integrity of the SSS, because it also means the integrity of the country and the integrity of the Duterte administration,” he added.
Competente appealed to Social Security Commissioner Jose Gabriel La Vina to stop the “trial publicity” and let the case prosper in court, in this case the Social Security Commission (SSC).
ACCESS believes that due process should prevail in learning the truth about the situation, Competente said. “We condemn the allegations against the four officials while the investigation is ongoing.”
He also clarified that the officials included in the complaint are career officials, contrary to reports saying they are presidential appointees.
The union head also pleaded not to use the on-going controversy for the news mileage of several personalities, warning La Viña the SSS would only be used for political purposes.
SSS management, meanwhile, said it adheres to the ethical standards of the institution.
“Everyone has a right to a due process, this blue ribbon is a gesture of support to the SSS ethical standards. We are all committed to entail the highest level of integrity of SSS which has been compromised by this trial of publicity of an administrative complaint,” an agency statement said.
Based on the SSS Code of Ethics’ Prohibited Acts and Transactions under Section 8.A.I, any SSS official or employee is prohibited in using or divulging confidential or classified information officially known to him by reason of his office and not made available to the public, either to further his private interests, or give undue advantage to anyone; or to prejudice the public interest.
Section 8.A.II, likewise, stated that disclosing confidential information given by parties, counsel, witness, or any other person during investigation in a pending administrative case except when expressly authorized by the disciplining authority.
SSS said it welcomes and supports the congressional probe being contemplated by Congress, as well the participation of other government agencies like National Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Ombudsman, and Capital Market Integrity Board to ensure that the investigation will be complete and thorough.
“SSS is equally committed to pursue a no-nonsense investigation to ensure that we ferret out the truth and duly establish the guilt or innocence of persons complained of with due regard to due process. We assure Congress of our full cooperation and support in the conduct of its investigation,” the pension fund said in a statement during the flag raising ceremony.
“But in no way that our operations will be affected by this media fiasco. We have about 3,500 members and pensioners joining us today for our Members’ Day. Let us embrace them with our dedication to public service,” it added.
Amid the on-going media controversy, SSS held its “Members’ Day” dubbed as “Handog Serbisyo Para sa Miyembro” at the SSS Quadrangle at East Ave., Diliman, Quezon City.
SSS invited its members to the activity, where the first 2,000 SSS members availed of free medical, dental and optical services. Free haircut and reflexology services are also being offered during the program.