Solicitation of Recommendations from Outside Sources

May 24, 1962 REVENUE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 17-62 SUBJECT : Solicitation of Recommendations from Outside Sources TO : All Internal Revenue Officials and Employees This Office has noticed the frequency with which recommendations emanating from outside sources interceding for and on behalf of certain employees concerning promotions, transfers, and change of designations have been received. The situation has come to a point where it cannot be said that the employees affected are innocent or in any way without their knowledge of such recommendations in their favor. It may be even be forcing this Office to believe that such recommendations were at the solicitation of the employees so affected. There is therefore quoted hereunder Memorandum Circular No. 1-62 of the Acting Secretary of Finance dated January 30, 1962, which refer to these prohibited actuations of personnel in the civil service, for their information, guidance, and strict compliance: MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1-62 SUBJECT : Lobbying by officials and employees in the Commission on Appointments of the Congress of the Philippines and obtaining recommendations for promotion from politicians. "It has been noted that several officials and employees of the Department and the bureaus and offices under it invariably employ the services of politicians in securing letters of recommendations for promotion and other benefits, and sometimes they even go to the extent of having politicians accompany them to the office of the undersigned for transfer of assignment and other purposes. It cannot be denied that this practice is an unwarranted interference with the public service because it is understood that this Department will act on promotions and appointments through merit and seniority under the provisions of Republic Act No. 2260, otherwise known as the Civil Service Act of 1959 and such other applicable rules and regulations. Besides being unethical it gives them also an undue advantage over those officials and employees who do not know any politician but rely solely on merit and efficiency. For this reason, hereunder quoted are the rules and regulations prohibiting the said actuations: Rule IX Civil Service Rules and Regulations "5. No recommendation of any person for promotion, whether verbal or in writing, shall be received or considered unless it be made by the officer or officers under whose supervision he is or has been employed, and the presentation of any other recommendation shall be considered an unwarrantable interference with the public service; and such a recommendation at the solicitation or with the knowledge or consent of the employee shall sufficient cause for debarring him from the promotion proposed, and a repetition of the offense shall be sufficient cause for removing him from the service." Republic Act No. 1827 "(4) Unprofessional conduct . a violation of any of the provisions of this Act, or soliciting employment from any principal, or instigating the introduction of legislation for the purpose of obtaining employment in opposition thereto, or attempt to influence the vote of members of Congress on any measure pending or to be proposed or on any appointment submitted for confirmation by the promise of support or opposition at any future election, or by any other means than a full and fair argument on the merits thereof, or by making public any unsubstantiated charges of improper conduct on the part of any other lobbyist or of any member of Congress, or engaging in practices which reflect discredit on the practice of lobbying on the Congress." Any violations of the above rules and regulations shall subject the officials and employees concerned to severe disciplinary and/or administrative action. Please be guided accordingly. (SGD) FERNANDO E. V. SISON Acting Secretary of Finance January 30, 1962 All Chiefs of Department, Divisions, and all Regional Directors are hereby directed to give the provisions of this Circular the strictest enforcement possible to the end that every employee comply with the prohibitions therein contained. (SGD.) JOSE B. LINGAD Commissioner of Internal Revenue