Village chief accuses worker of dishonesty

CEBU, Philippines - A barangay chief in Talisay City has accused a city hall employee for alleged violation of ethical laws and falsification of public documents before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Barangay Linao chief Fe Ylanan has claimed Alexander Gabi, a job order employee assigned at the office of Councilor Dennis Basillote, violated Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees specifically Sections 4(a) and 4(b) for dishonesty.

In her complaint dated August 12, 2011, Ylanan alleged Gabi left his workstation at 3 p.m. of July 25, 2 p.m. of July 27 and 10 a.m. of July 29 to appear before the Office of the Punong Barangay of Linao "without the required permission or authority from the city government to attend to personal matters."

Gabi has a harassment complaint pending before the Punong Barangay filed by Ylanan following the July 25 incident.

Ylanan summoned Gabi to the barangay hall for alleged defiance of a barangay resolution which allowed for the relocation of a house, which is currently blocking an access road, to a private property in sitio San Miguel.

But a day before the scheduled construction of the house of Merta Odiso, Gabi, reportedly upon the orders of his mother-in-law Florencia Balingit, built a bamboo fence in the same area, which Ylanan destroyed the following morning.

Gabi cried harassment to the police for what Ylanan did.

Ylanan, for her part, asked the anti-graft office to investigate Gabi's Daily Time Records which she said has misinterpretation on the number of hours entered.

The lady barangay chief said basing Gabi's DTR, the job order worker worked for eight hours in July 25, 27 and 29 "when in fact he did not; for an act prejudicial to the best interest of the public by leaving the office premises or work premises without any permission from his head of office; for falsification of public document (DTR).

The three DTRs were signed by both Gabi and his direct employer Councilor Dennis Basillote.

Meanwhile, City Councilor Val Ylanan, husband of Fe, said Balingit, who claims tenancy on the lot where the barangay wants to construct Obiso's house, has no right at all.

In a decision promulgated last February 27, 2006, the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board dismissed the complaint for declaration of tenancy filed by Florencia and her husband Cenon against the owners of the property, lawyer Gil Maribao, Antonio Espinosa, and Danny Boy Fajardo on the ground that subject property is "no longer agricultural but residential by operation of law."

The Balingits on Aug. 30, 1999 alleged that they are tenants of a parcel of land identified as Lot. No. 3893-A, Pls 7089 of the Talisay-Minglanilla Friar Land Estate covered by Transfer Certificate No. 69563 with an area of 2.6479 hectares, more or less, located in sitio San Miguel, barangay Linao. They said they have been planting bananas and ipil-ipil and have shared their harvests with Maribao.

Complainants filed their motion for reconsideration, but was denied on Sept. 19, 2007.