Ombudsman orders 6 Kidapawan govt employees dismissed

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Six local government employees, including the head of the accounting office, were ordered dismissed from public service for dishonesty, misconduct, and acts prejudicial to public service. The dismissal order came from the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao and was received by Kidapawan City Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco around 3 p.m. Tuesday. Gantuangco identified the employees as Virgie Tamayo, head of the accounting department, and office staff Majalito Lapinid, Fe Lopez, Alma Pacquiat, Lily Pana and Jean Isla. Pursuant to the Ombudsman order, Gantuangco will issue on July 1 a preventive suspension directive for the employees. The dismissal order stemmed from the alleged malversation of Barangay Poblacion funds amounting to nearly P1 million. Without corresponding vouchers, checks for the amount being questioned were supposedly issued from 2005 until 2006. The checks bore the signatures of former Barangay Poblacion chairman Joseph Biongan and the release of funds was allegedly approved by some barangay councilors. “Interestingly, though, former Poblacion chairman Biongan and the councilors included in the charge sheet were not penalized. The case filed against them was dismissed," said Gantuangco. Gantuangco said he was upset when he learned that Tamayo and five other workers at the accounting department were given such harsh penalty. "These people [were the ones] who discovered the anomaly in Barangay Poblacion. They even reported the anomalies and cooperated in the investigation of the case in 2006," the mayor said. The Ombudsman said the accounting department had tolerated the malversation of funds. Accounting personnel, it added, should have been more cautions in the disbursement of funds. “If a check was issued, there should be corresponding voucher. Vouchers should be pre-numbered so that they can’t be recycled. The accounting department could have prevented the anomalies if only they have prepared monthly bank reconciliations," the Ombudsman decision stated. "Granting without admitting that the accounting [staff members] discovered the breach of channel in the process, they should have taken the issue immediately or right after the discovery," it added. The Ombudsman said Tamayo and the rest miserably failed to carry out their respective duties and found them dishonest, which was a serious offense that has debilitating effect on public service. Of the six employees dismissed from office, only Isla had resigned before the ruling was issued, thus, the dismissal order from government service could no longer be imposed on her. Gantuangco said the employees were given at least 15 days from receipt of the order to file motion for reconsideration. The Ombudsman, however, clarified that an appeal should not be used as basis for not implementing the dismissal order. “The decision of the Ombudsman should be strictly enforced and properly implemented. Refusal or failure of the chief executive to implement the order shall be ground for disciplinary action. Only a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction duly issued by a competent court could stay the immediate suspension of the decision," it said. After five days upon receipt of the Ombudsman’s decision, Gantuangco is directed to submit a compliance report. — Malu Cadelina Manar/LBG/RSJ, GMA News