Civil servants must obey the law at all times including the health standards set by government authorities against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) said. 

Issuing a statement, CSC commissioner Aileen Lizada on Wednesday, Feb. 24, reminded that civil servants are “not above the law.” Thus, public officials and employees are “bound to obey the law” which includes compliance to the standards set by the government authorities leading the battle against COVID-19. 

Civil servants, Lizada said, must also “act and conduct” themselves according to the norms set by Republic Act (RA) 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Lizada noted that “two of the most important qualities enumerated, perhaps, are 'Commitment to Public Interest' and 'Professionalism' wherein public officials and employees, at all times, ought to uphold the public interest over and above their individual personal interests, and that they should perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skills.” 

While Lizada did not name any government official in her statement, special envoy to China Ramon Tulfo admitted in a television interview of using an unregistered COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm.

Tulfo is an appointee of President Duterte. 

“While the said civil servant is beyond the disciplinary authority of the CSC being a presidential appointee, it is incumbent upon him, as with any other civil servants, to act and conduct himself in a manner worthy of being called a public servant,” Lizada reminded. 

Lizada also noted that RA 9711 or Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 and Special Counterfeit Law (or RA 8203) requires “product registration before medicines or products may be used within the country to protect the public from any harm.” 

“During this pandemic, while everyone is reasonably expected to do their part, rules and regulations were and still are set in place through policies that are issued by government agencies and bodies,” Lizada said. 

“It goes without saying then that public officials and employees are expected to not only abide by these rules and standards, they ought to do with by example,” she added.