PAGC sacks DSWD regional director, DTI assistant regional director

A regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and an assistant regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) were ordered dismissed by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices law or Republic Act 3019.

PAGC Chairwoman Constancia de Guzman said there was sufficient evidence against DSWD Region XII (Socsargen) regional director Kunesa Sekak and DTI-ARD for Central Visayas Perfecto Yap to warrant their dismissal from government service.

De Guzman said the investigation done by the DSWD’s internal auditors showed that Sekak was involved in illegal transactions, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds from 2002 to 2004.

The investigation revealed that Sekak, who has been with the DSWD since 1974, had ordered the release of payments even if the disbursement vouchers that were processed and approved were not backed-up by the required supporting documents. Investigation also revealed that Sekak had purchased medicines worth P5.7 million without public bidding and that the purchased medicines were overpriced.

De Guzman said since Sekak is a presidential appointeee, her case was forwarded to the PAGC for investigation. Malacañang approved the PAGC’s order dismissing Sekak last July 22.

Meanwhile, Yap’s case was transmitted to the PAGC on Dec. 21, 2004 after the DTI’s legal office found probable cause to investigate him for allegations of abuse of authority and falsification of public documents.

A PAGC probe showed that Yap, who has been with the DTI since 1978, has been asking for transportation allowance despite having unrestricted use of DTI vehicles for personal trips, including taking his son to and from school. Yap and his son have been using his DTI office as living quarters despite provision for a DTI-leased residential unit which he had never used.

The PAGC also discovered that Yap is involved in the business of buying and selling used clothes or "ukay-ukay." While engaged in this business, the PAGC said Yap would ask DTI security guards, drivers, messengers and janitors to wash the used clothes before selling them. Yap has also been asking some DTI personnel to perform various household chores for him.

In addition, the PAGC said Yap had falsified his daily time records (DTRs) by ordering his administrative officer to fill up the forms and copy his own handwritten entries in a draft DTR. As such, Yap was able to collect his full monthly salary despite several absences.

De Guzman said Malacañang had approved her order dismissing Yap last July 22. PAGC has also recommended the filing of criminal cases against Sekak and Yap before the Ombudsman.

"These two cases manifest the strong collaboration between and among public servants and national government institutions. It also stressed the importance of internal audit in government agencies," De Guzman said.

The PAGC said for this year alone, six presidential appointees have so far been ordered dismissed for committing irregularities. Among those dismissed included an undersecretary, two assistant secretaries, two directors and one administrator.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman filed charges of graft and falsification of public documents against an employee of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and two other employees for releasing checks for nonexistent salary loans.

In a 15-page resolution, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez found probable cause to indict Diosdado Estoque Jr., Data Controller IV of the GSIS Financial Center, Leahlyn de Leon and Eduardo Samson.

The case against them stemmed from a complaint filed by Velly Lucilo, manager of the GSIS Loans Department, who alleged that Estoque released three checks amounting to P220,916.