Drunk officials, workers banned in council sessions

BAGUIO CITY – People under the influence of liquor and other intoxicating beverages will no longer be allowed to enter the City Council Session Hall following the unanimous approval made by the local legislative body on a proposed resolution strongly prohibiting local officials and employees under the influence of alcoholic beverages and other intoxicating substances from entering the seat of the city government.
The resolution authored by Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon stated that considering that the city council is referred to as an august body, or one that inspires reverence or admiration and of supreme dignity, embers of the city council must hold themselves to the highest ethical standards in public service, thus, they must present themselves worthy of respect because of the dignity they present and refrain from any and all acts that may put the high ethical standards that they hold on to in question.
The council requested the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) to provide alcohol breath analyzers to measure the concentration of alcohol in a person’s breath before entering the city council session hall, especially during the conduct of their regular or special sessions.
Yaranon anchored her proposal on Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees that provides that it is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service.
Further, the law added that public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, live modest lives and uphold public interest over personal interest.
This statue is bolstered by Civil Service Commission (CSC) Resolution No. 1100039 which prohibits, subject to certain exemptions, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as, but not limited, to malt beverages, wine and intoxicating liquor in the workplace, among government officials and employees during office hours.
Under the said CSC resolution, officials and employees who consume intoxicating liquor during office hours, not falling under the prescribed exemptions provided, or report for work while under the influence of alcohol shall be liable for simple misconduct and shall be imposed the penalties provided under existing laws, rules and regulations.
The introduction of the resolution came after a number of local legislators had been reportedly attending sessions of the city council allegedly under the influence of liquor that have resulted in a series of misunderstandings among them and their colleagues when debating on controversial items that are in the agenda of their regular meetings in the past.
Yaranon expressed hope that her colleagues who had been attending their regular meetings under the influence of liquor will respect the unanimously approved resolution to ensure the orderly discussions and dispositions of the items that are in the agenda of their sessions and to avoid the utterance of unnecessary remarks against each other that may inflict harm to the concerned officials being alluded in their unsavory remarks. Contributed article