Brgy treasurer guilty of dishonesty

CEBU, Philippines - For his failure to negate the allegations filed against him, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas held the barangay treasurer of Balud, San Fernando, Cebu, administratively liable for dishonesty. 

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Corazon Arnado-Carillo found respondent Jerome Hermosa guilty of dishonesty and meted him the penalty of dismissal from service with all the accessory penalties.

“No evidence of personal misappropriation of the missing funds on the part of the respondent is needed before he can be held administratively liable for dishonesty. That there was shortage of funds and his failure to satisfactorily explain the same would suffice,” the decision read.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas then directed Mayor Antonio Canoy of the municipality of San Fernando to implement the said decision and to promptly submit a compliance report.

The Office of the Ombudsman furnished the Commission on Audit-7, the Civil Service Commission and the Commission on Election a copy of the said decision.

The complaint was filed by the COA. State auditors Melba Macapobre and Visminda Wong of COA-Talisay City said during their cash examination on the respondent’s accounts dated June 2, 2009 they were able to discover a shortage amounting to P972,440.68 from Dec. 1, 2007 to June 2, 2009.

With that, state auditors then sent demand letters to the respondent dated July 16, 2009 covering the shortage for his collection account and Sept. 24, 2009 for his unliquidated cash advances.

State auditors said on Aug. 13, 2009 the respondent submitted a validated Land Bank of the Philippines deposit slip in the amount of P9,000. However, they said the said amount was not presented during the cash count examination.

The respondent likewise, submitted cash advance vouchers and liquidations to the state auditors dated Oct. 9, 2009 with the amount for P482,200 reducing the shortage was reduced to P109,011.28.

Finding sufficient grounds to proceed with the preliminary investigation, Carillo then directed the respondent to file his counter-affidavit to answer the allegations filed against him. The order was sent on June 17, 2010.

However, the respondent failed to submit prompting Carillo to resolve the issue based on the evidence at hand.

“The issue to be decided is whether or not respondent is guilty of dishonesty. This office rules in the affirmative,” the decision read.

Carillo ruled to hold the respondent guilty of the administrative case after he failed to explain the shortage of P481,240.68 representing the government funds.

The said decision was approved by Pelagio Apostol, deputy ombudsman for the Visayas.   (FREEMAN)