CSC upholds dismissal of Batangas administrator

BATANGAS , Philippines   â€“ The Civil Service Commission (CSC) headed by Chairman Francisco Duque III has affirmed an earlier decision of its regional office, dismissing Batangas administrator Victor Reyes from his position for allegedly faking his career service eligibility.

Duque said the commission released its decision last Oct. 21, denying Reyes’ motion for reconsideration.

Reyes was ordered to step down from his position effective Nov. 6 based on the CSC’s final and executory decision.  

Last June 25, a 12-page CSC decision signed by Duque and Commissioners Robert Martinez and Nieves Osorio and Director Dolores Bonifacio upheld an earlier resolution of the CSC Regional Office 4, dismissing Reyes from his post for various administrative offenses.

Reyes was found guilty of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, falsification of official documents, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Aside from dismissal, Reyes was also penalized with the cancellation of his eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and preventing him from taking the civil service exam. 

According to the CSC decision, Reyes falsified his personal data sheet for indicating that he obtained an 83 percent grade in the Dec. 10, 2004 career service professional exam conducted at the CSC-National Capital Region office in Quezon City.

However, a check with the CSC’s Integrated Records Management Office showed that there was no civil service exam conducted in any regional office on Dec. 10, 2004. 

Meanwhile, lawyer Joel Montealto, provincial legal officer, said in a phone interview that Reyes has filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals for a temporary restraining order. 

Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto appointed Reyes, a former mayor of Padre Garcia town, as provincial administrator when she won her first term in July 2007. 

Reyes’ case initially stemmed from an anonymous complaint sent to the CSC through text messages, e-mails and letters, citing his alleged spurious civil service eligibility. A formal complaint was filed against him on Aug. 3, 2009.

In his defense, Reyes insisted that he acted on good faith in submitting his civil service professional eligibility result, which the CSC apparently sent to him by mail.

Reyes argued that his civil service eligibility should not be in question because it is not a requirement in an appointive post like the provincial administrator. 

Reyes added that the prosecution failed to present strong evidence that would disprove the authenticity of the documents that he submitted.   

However, the CSC said evidence was sufficient enough to prove that Reyes faked his eligibility result. 

It said Reyes gave wrong information on his personal data sheet, a clear violation of the Civil Service Law. 

The STAR tried to get Reyes’ comment on the new CSC ruling junking his motion for reconsideration, but failed.