Erring employee takes spotlight

MANILA, Philippines - Who is Delsa Flores?

The case of the court interpreter from Davao, who was dismissed from government service for failure to declare a market stall in her official asset statement, has been used as a benchmark in judging Chief Justice Renato Corona for betrayal of public trust.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, in casting his guilty vote against Corona, cited Flores’ case in explaining his vote yesterday.

“The Supreme Court dismissed Delsa Flores, a lowly court interpreter, for not reporting in her SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) her stall in a public market,” Drilon said.

Prosecutors also mentioned the case of Flores in their final arguments last Monday.

Delsa Flores was an interpreter III of the Regional Trial Court Branch IV of Panabo, Davao.

“The Court must reiterate that a public office is a public trust. A public servant is expected to exhibit, at all times, the highest degree of honesty and integrity and should be made accountable to all those whom he serves,” read the ruling promulgated in 1997.

Supreme Court (SC) records showed that the respondent’s malfeasance is a clear contravention of the constitutional dictum that the state shall “maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.”

Flores was tried on the basis of the charges filed by one Narita Rabe.

The SC dismissed Flores from the service with forfeiture of all retirement benefits and accrued leave credits and with prejudice to re-employment in any branch or instrumentality of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations.

“It is well to stress once again the constitutional declaration that a public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives,” the SC decision read.

“We have repeatedly held that although every office in the government service is a public trust, no position exacts a greater demand for moral righteousness and uprightness from an individual than in the judiciary,” the SC said.