The Philippine Coast Guard on Monday said it would look into the possible liability of Interior Undersecretary Martin Diño, who was photographed wearing the uniform of the PCG Auxiliary despite him not being a member of such.
PCG Spokesperson Capt. Armand Balilo said the Manila Yacht Club Auxiliary where Diño was photographed supposedly taking his oath was not accredited by the PCG in the first place.
As such, he said Diño could be violating the law when he wore the uniform of a PCGA rear admiral.
But in a radio interview, Diño said it was the PCG that should be held liable for what happened, because it never announced the Manila Yacht Club Auxiliary was not its accredited organization in the first place.
In a radio interview, Admiral Fred Villanueva of the Manila Yacht Club Auxiliary, conceded his organization was no longer accredited by the PCG, but added that this was because the PCG had accredited the wrong auxiliary.
He said the auxiliary accredited by the PCG was the one created by a member who was kicked out of the Manila Yacht Club Auxiliary that was formed as early as 1973.
“Kami ang unang Coast Guard (Auxiliary) sa Pilipinas. Kahit dati pa, noong under ito sa Philippine Navy..Ginawa (ng miyembro) nung makick out siya sa amin, ninakaw niya yung squadron..Kasalanan ng organic (PCG) di sila nag-imbestiga,” he said.
He said their group already has 300 members nationwide.
“Kung nakikinig ang pamunuan ng PCG organic, nakikiusap kami. Ayusin niyo tong gusot na ito,” he said. Jerold Tagbo