By The SUN TeamThe case against former labor attaché in Hong Kong, Manuel Roldan, is not yet over
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III promised to review the case against Roldan, who was accused of allowing his driver to operate an employment agency in violation of anti-graft laws and accrediting 90 new agencies despite a long-standing freeze on the practice.
Bello said at a community forum organized by Unifil-Migrante and Bayan HK on Sept 25 that he would consider charging the former labor attaché with falsification of public documents instead of simple misconduct.
This stemmed from a finding made by an investigating panel formed by the Consulate that the employment contract of Roldan’s driver, Donald Retirado, had been tampered with to make it look like he was no longer employed by the government when his daughter formed an employment agency.
Roldan allowed the agency to be accredited with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration but denied knowing beforehand its connection to his driver.
The labor secretary said he would also speak to the lawyer handling the case of Roldan because, accordingly, it had long been pending.
The case against Roldan was filed in mid-2014 by the Coalition of Service Providers for Ethnic Minorities, a group of NGOs that is helping distressed migrant workers.
An investigative panel formed by Consul General Bernardita Catalla to look into the complaint found he had a case to answer. Congen Catalla endorsed the findings to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which in turn referred the case to the Department of Labor and Employment.
Roldan returned to the Philippines in October that year, after completing his tour of duty.
But after a hearing where only Roldan was called to testify, a. Dole panel formed by then Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz found the former labor attache guilty of simple misconduct for which he was to be suspended from work for one month, or pay the equivalent in pay as fine
Bello admitted that the case had not yet reached his desk, but invited parties with other complaints against Roldan to come forward.
“First, it (Roldan’s case) has not officially reached my desk. But I was just reading awhile ago about the case of Mr Roldan, who was convicted of an offense of grave misconduct but, upon motion for reconsideration, his conviction was reduced to simple misconduct and was given a one-month suspension or fine,” Bello said at a press conference at the Consulate.
“I understand that Mr Roldan appealed the resolution lowering his penalty to one month or fine. But, anyway, it was a fine. In other words, this case has not become final and executory, so we will have to do away with a resolution on his motion for reconsideration,” Bello said.
The labor secretary said he did not know if there were other complaints against Roldan. “If you have additional information, I would appreciate it,” Bello said.
CSPEM and migrants’ groups have long been outraged that Baldoz had practically cleared Roldan of the charges without calling them to present their evidence against him.
Dole said then that Roldan was not aware that the agency he allowed to be accredited was owned by Retirado's daughter.
It also did not deem him to have acted in bad faith when he approved the accreditation of 90 new agencies during his three-year term.
