House probe sought on envoy to Australia

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:55:00 01/05/2009

MANILA, Philippines -- An investigation is being sought into the country's ambassador to Australia who has been allegedly neglecting his duties because he was studying full-time at the expense of the Philippine government.

In filing Resolution No. 919, Bayan Muna partylist Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño asked the committee on foreign affairs to find out if Ambassador Ernesto de Leon has been remiss in his duties in serving the Filipinos in Australia because he was preoccupied with his studies.

Some members of the Filipino community in Australia lament that De Leon was not as accessible as they would like him to be since he would only be available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesdays or Fridays, according to the resolution.

"Philippine taxpayers shoulder the living expenses of the country's top diplomats like De Leon. … In return, Ambassador de Leon is expected to be a full-time public servant to overseas Filipinos and the Filipino-Australian community and in advancing the interests of the Philippines within the coverage of the post," it said.

De Leon, a former Navy vice admiral who was involved in the wiretapping scandal in the 2004 election, was appointed to his post in 2006.

Few months after his appointment on June 23, 2006, De Leon presented his credentials to the Governor-General of Australia expressing his “intentions to continue building on defense cooperation through the Philippine Defense Reform Program and in other activities such as maritime security, counter-terrorism and education and training.”

In February 2008, De Leon was eventually accepted at the Australia National University to take up his Masters in International Affairs.

In an interview with ABS-CBN news, De Leon said he was "just like everyone else." And when asked what it was like being in the university, De Leon said, "When I'm there, I'm a student. When I step out of the University, I'm the ambassador."

"As an international student, De Leon has to pay the full tuition for the one-year program in International Affairs -- 24,000 Australian dollars. That figure is equivalent to P803,589 at the current exchange rate, the amount presumably being shouldered by the Philippine government. This is almost three times more than the Philippine President's constitutionally-mandated annual salary of P300,000," the resolution said.

De Leon is not a career diplomat and is among the long list of political appointees to the foreign service since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001, the resolution added.

At the height of the wiretapping scandal investigation, Brigadier General Francsico Gudani testified at the Senate that then Navy Flag Officer-in-Command De Leon and General Emmanuel Teodosio instructed him to leave his post during the canvassing of votes in Lanao del Sur, asking him to "play golf, go to Boracay" instead.

De Leon explained that he had asked Gudani to come to Manila because of a shooting incident where a civilian died and the Marines were dragged into the situation.

De Leon, the 12th Philippine Ambassador to Australia, also has concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Vanuatu and Tuvalu.