In an order signed last Nov. 2, Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez recommended to Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez the implementation of the preventive suspension against Phillip Piccio based on the findings of Joaquin Salazar, acting director of the Evaluation and Investigation Office.
Batangas Gov. Armand Sanchez earlier asked the Office of the Ombudsman to place Piccio, Recto and Joseph Picart, another executive assistant of the vice governor, under preventive suspension.
In filing the administrative complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, Sanchez alleged that Piccio falsified his daily time records by making it appear that he (Piccio) was present and rendered full-time work on specific dates, when that was not the fact.
Sanchez also alleged that Picart approved Piccio’s daily time records by virtue of an authority given to him by Recto.
In his complaint, Sanchez alleged that for the months of April and May 2006, Piccio declared in his daily time records that he reported for work when in fact, he was attending to court matters and was giving media interviews.
Piccio is the president of the Parents Enabling Parents Coalition, which has filed cases against several pre-need companies for their alleged failure to honor financial obligations regarding pre-need educational plans.
Investigation conducted by Salazar showed that Piccio declared in his daily time records that he reported for work on April 25, 2006, April 26, 2006, May 4, 2006, May 9, 2006, May 15, 2006, May 16, 2006, May 18, 2006, May 19, 2006, and May 23, 2006.
However, it was discovered that he was either attending to court matters or appearing in several radio and television shows on these dates.
"After an initial evaluation of the records on hand, we find that the foregoing requirements have been established in so far as respondent Phillip H. Piccio is concerned. As borne by his daily time records for the months of April and May 2006, he declared that for every working day of the said months, he consistently reported to office."
"Although we could not give a full credence to the contents of the calendar of events, still documents are on hand showing that he was in other places during certain dates that he was supposed to be in office," Salazar added.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon said there is no "strong showing of guilt" on the part of Recto and Picart.
As such, Sanchez’s prayer to have them placed under preventive suspension was denied for lack of merit.
"It should be noted that the charge against them is based on the allegation that they conspired with respondent Piccio in making the alleged falsification. However, conspiracy could not just be presumed," Fernandez said in his order.