Eastern Visayas officials penalized for fake receipts, bid documents

MANILA, Philippines – One elected official and 6 municipal employees in different provinces in Eastern Visayas have been meted sanctions for using fake documents for personal gain.

Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente dismissed municipal councilor Sergio Batistis Jr of Albuera town in Leyte for selling fake certificates of appearance and receipts at the national board meetings of the Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL). 

Batistis – found guilty of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service – is perpetually disqualified from public office and will be barred from taking the civil service examination. His retirement benefits are forfeited, the Ombudsman’s office said in a statement on Monday, February 15.

The Ombudsman’s office received a complaint on Batistis’ illegal activities, and arranged for an entrapment operation in June 2015. He was found in possession of 22 pieces of fake PCL receipts, 28 fake certificates of registration, and P103,500.00 in cash. 

Clemente’s decision was forwarded to the Eastern Visayas director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government for implementation, The Commission on Elections, the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit, and the Government Service Insurance System were also furnished copies of the decision.

In another case in the region, the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas ordered the ordered suspension for 6 months and one day without pay of 6 employees of the municipal government of Guiuan in Eastern Samar.

Arsenio Salamida, Esperanza Cotin, Maria Nenita Ecleo, Felipe Padual, Danilo Colandog, and Gilberto Labicane – as municipal bids and awards committee – authorized, without public bidding, the purchase of a remanufactured fire truck worth P2.1 million in February 2007. 

“The respondents authorized the acquisition through negotiated procurement by making it appear that two public biddings were previously conducted. The contract, purchase order and disbursement voucher were all processed in one day,” the Ombudsman’s statement said.

The 6 Guiuan employees were found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Clemente ordered the mayor of Guiuan to implement the penalty. “In case of separation from the service, the suspension is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondents’ 6 months’ salary,” the statement said. – Rappler.com