Lapu-Lapu officer faces raps for failing to issue receipt

CEBU, Philippines - Because of his failure to issue an official receipt, an administrative aide of the Office of the Register of Deeds of Lapu-Lapu City faces charges in court.

Kim Sansan, who is recently designated as releasing clerk and assistant cashier of Register of Deeds, was charged for violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 1445 otherwise known as the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas found sufficient evidence to elevate the complaint to the Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court.

Graft investigator Sarah Jo Vergara recommended P2,000 bail bond for Sansan’s temporary liberty.

“There is sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the offense charged has been committed and that the accused is probably guilty thereof,” Vergara ruled.

Vergara said based on the complaint filed by Cipriano Lagura against Sansan, the issue to resolve is whether Sansan’s act of asking or receiving the P600 from the complainant as payment for legal fess and charges is considered a criminal offense.

      Sansan claimed that when Lagura gave the P600 he was not around.

“The complainant left P600 of which P365 was spent for the fees as per Official Receipt No. LRA 10881367-0; however, complainant never came back for the receipt and the change and at that time, no official receipt could be issued since the cashier who kept the receipt was not around,” Sansan explained.

Despite Sansan’s explanation, graft investigator Vergara said Sansan’s receipt of the P600 from the complainant constitutes a violation of PD 1445.

“The P600 received by the respondents on November 25, 2009 was meant for the payment of official fees and thus for all intents and purposes was a collection of the office which needed to be promptly deposited in the proper depository bank or treasury; but then, by failing to issue a receipt, respondent concealed the true nature of the P600 and made it seemingly excluded from the other collections due for remittance on that day,” resolution reads. — (FREEMAN)