Leyte vice mayor, 3 others indicted over overtime pay

LEYTE, Philippines – A vice mayor in this province and three municipal employees have been ordered indicted for granting themselves unauthorized overtime pay.

Charged were Vice Mayor Leonardo Leria of MacArthur town, municipal treasurer Daisy Caña, budget officer Arturo Zamoras and accountant Margarita Dagsa.

The Office of the Ombudsman said the respondents violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when they paid themselves P355,000 in overtime pay.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the respondents used the funds intended for the payment of the employees’ clothing allowance for their overtime pay.

Anti-graft investigators found out that the offense was committed from 2002 to 2004, when Leria was the municipal mayor.

A memorandum issued by the Department of Budget and Management in 1996 prohibits department heads from claiming overtime pay.

The ombudsman said there was no appropriation and documents authorizing the respondents to render overtime services.

It said the Commission on Audit does not allow such payments.

“The acts of Leria, Caña, Zamoras and Dagsa showed bad faith and partiality on their part,” Morales said.