CSC: Gov’t workers involved in fixing to face dismissal, disqualification from service

MANILA, Philippines — Government workers who are involved in fixing will be slapped with dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public service, the Civil Service Commission warned.

In a statement released Wednesday, CSC said it has added violations of Republic Act 9485 or Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 in the list of administrative offenses in the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

“The 2017 RACCS aims to ensure consistency, predictability and stability—values which are integral in upholding the rule of law,” CSC said.

The commission added: “It also affords government workers fair treatment and protects them from being victimized by political biases, persecution and personal whims.”

The new rule states that government officials and employees who commit the following acts may face penalties ranging from suspension to dismissal:

•   Refusal to accept application and/or request within the prescribed period or any document being submitted by a client
•   Failure to act on an application and/or request or failure to refer back to the client a request which cannot be acted upon due to lack of requirements within the prescribed period
•   Failure to attend to clients who are within the premises of the office or agency concerned prior to the end of official working hours and during lunch break
•   Failure to render frontline services within the prescribed period on any application and/or request without due cause
•   Failure to give the client a written notice on the disapproval of an application or request
•   Imposition of additional irrelevant requirements other than those listed in the first notice

Employees who will commit first offense will face suspension for 30 days and mandatory attendance in Values Operation Program.

For the second offense, civil servants will be suspended up to three months without pay and for the third offense, they will be slapped with dismissal and perpetual disqualification from government post.

Important features

Under the new rule, officials found guilty of indirect contempt or those who disobey or resist the directives of CSC, will be penalized with suspension of up to six months and a fine of P1,000 per day for every act of indirect contempt.

This applies to appointive officials, presidential appointees and elective officials.

Among the salient features of the administrative rule include the provisions on handling sexual harassment cases, introduction of different ways of conducting preliminary investigation and rule on payment of back wages and other similar benefits to an illegally dismissed/suspended official or employee.