Brgy treasurer meted six months suspension

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas has suspended a barangay treasurer in Aloguinsan for six months after she was found administratively guilty of simple misconduct and neglect of duty.

Graft investigator Eleanor Tayad-de Mira found Teodora Lapas of Barangay Kandingan guilty of collecting honoraria and traveling expenses despite her being absent without official leave. Lapas was also found guilty of simple misconduct for deriding the members of the barangay council.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by barangay councilmen Almamito Ignario, Gregorio Tanjay, Mercedita Empalmado and Reynaldo Lapas.

The four barangay councilmen alleged that the respondent derided them during a special session by calling them “stupid and dumb councilors”. The defamatory words uttered by the respondent were alleged caught on tape.

The complainants also accused the barangay treasurer of not reporting for duty without filing a formal leave of absence or telling the council. But, despite her absence she continues to collect her honoraria and traveling expenses.

Lapas denied the charges and claimed that the alleged tape of her deriding the complainants could not be used as evidence against her because it was obtained in violation of the Anti-Wire Tapping Law.

According to Lapas, she was not part of the special session hence the recording of her alleged misconduct violated the law.

“The alleged recording that was reduced to a compact disk (CD) could not be used as evidence against me as I was not a party to that particular session,” she said.

She said that the best evidence could have been the minutes of the special session which did not show anything against her.

On her alleged collection of honorarium and traveling expenses, Lapas said the amount was too small for her to be required to report on a regular working hours. Besides, Lapas said she is not claiming any leave credits.

But the anti-graft body dismissed her arguments as “misplaced” and ordered her suspension without pay.

The anti-graft office has directed the office of the mayor in Aloguinsan to implement the order and to submit a compliance report. (FREEMAN)