Brgy captain spared from misconduct raps

CEBU, Philippines - Re-election spared the barangay captain of Bakilid, Mandaue City from administrative liability for allegedly falsifying the daily time record of a job order employee.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas cleared Dionisio Villamor from charges of misconduct after he was covered by the Aguinaldo Doctrine which states that a public official cannot be held administratively guilty of misconduct committed prior to a term of office since his re-election operates a condonation of previous wrongdoing.

Villamor was charged over allegations that he falsified the daily time record of complainant Thelma dela Cerna, from March to May 2010 but graft investigator Maria Regina Fernandez dismissed the complaint.

“Upon verification, it is found that indeed, respondent has been re-elected into office during the last barangay elections in October 2010. As such the doctrine works in his favor, the administrative case must necessarily be dismissed,” decision reads.

In the complaint filed by Dela Cerna, Villamor allegedly offered her work as a job order employee at the Barangay hall but she refused.

To her surprise, Dela Cerna learned that she was issued an appointment as a barangay employee but when she confronted Villamor, he just told her that he would call her soon.

Dela Cerna said she went to Mandaue City Hall to verify the records of the employees. There she discovered that she was issued a job order employment as office aide.

She denied being hired by the City Hall as a job order employee and even executed an affidavit of denial stating that she neither accepted the job offer nor received salaries from the City Hall.

In the counter-affidavit of Villamor, he said dela Cerna sought his assistance for employment. He added that though dela Cerna was a supporter of his political rival, he still helped her get a job at the City hall.

Villamor said dela Cerna submitted her personal data sheet to him, which he recommended to the City Hall.

He however, denied that he falsified dela Cerna’s time record and claimed that the daily time records were prepared and signed by the appointees.  (FREEMAN)