The Court of Appeals (CA) of the Republic of the Philippines affirmed the dismissal of 18 employees of the Palawan Provincial Government in connection with the anomalous use of the province's share of Malampaya funds worth P2.57 billion.
Based upon the 33-page decision dated August 3, 2018 penned by Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez and concurred by Associate Justices Victoria Isabel Paredes and Maria Elisa Sempio Diy, the CA's Seventeenth Division upheld the Office of the Ombudsman's November 21, 2014 decision ordering the respondents' dismissal from the service.
Covered by the Ombudsman’s ruling were Ronelo del Socorro, Senior Technical Audit Specialist; Edwin Iglesia, State Auditor II; Romeo Llacuna, Engineer III; Bernard Zambales, Engineer III; Ferdinand Dilig, Provincial General Services Officer; Luis Marcaida, Provincial Budget Officer; Rolando Bonoan Jr., Sangguniang Panlalawigan member; Samuel Madamba II, Former Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator; Orlando Colobong, Provincial Accountant; Renato Abrina, Engineer IV; Manuela Cabiguen, Assistant Provincial Engineer-Administration/Inspectorate Team Leader; Federico Rubio, Jr., Assistant Provincial Engineer-Operation/Inspectorate Team Leader; Rosario Pascual-Abacial, Engineer II; Pedro Gatinga, Jr., Engineer IV; Tommy Panes, Engineer II; Bayani Buenaventura, Engineer III; Pepe Martinez Patacsil, Engineer IV; and Alfredo Padua, Engineer IV/Chief, Quality Control Division.
Aside from the dismissal of the above-mentioned government employees of the Province of Palawan, the Ombudsman also ordered the cancellation of their eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and taking civil service examinations.
The Court of Appeals also upheld the anti-graft office's decision clearing Elena Rodriguez, former Provincial Legal Officer, of charges. It held that the Ombudsman's consolidated decision exonerating Rodriguez from administrative accountability is final and unappealable due to the failure of the complainant Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan to appeal the dismissal of the charges.
The appellate court did not give merit to the claim of the respondents that the investigation of the Ombudsman was premature since under COA’s Rules and Regulation on Settlement of Accounts, an audit report should be followed by notices of disallowances (NDs) which may be appealed within six months.
Source: PNA
Based upon the 33-page decision dated August 3, 2018 penned by Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez and concurred by Associate Justices Victoria Isabel Paredes and Maria Elisa Sempio Diy, the CA's Seventeenth Division upheld the Office of the Ombudsman's November 21, 2014 decision ordering the respondents' dismissal from the service.
Covered by the Ombudsman’s ruling were Ronelo del Socorro, Senior Technical Audit Specialist; Edwin Iglesia, State Auditor II; Romeo Llacuna, Engineer III; Bernard Zambales, Engineer III; Ferdinand Dilig, Provincial General Services Officer; Luis Marcaida, Provincial Budget Officer; Rolando Bonoan Jr., Sangguniang Panlalawigan member; Samuel Madamba II, Former Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator; Orlando Colobong, Provincial Accountant; Renato Abrina, Engineer IV; Manuela Cabiguen, Assistant Provincial Engineer-Administration/Inspectorate Team Leader; Federico Rubio, Jr., Assistant Provincial Engineer-Operation/Inspectorate Team Leader; Rosario Pascual-Abacial, Engineer II; Pedro Gatinga, Jr., Engineer IV; Tommy Panes, Engineer II; Bayani Buenaventura, Engineer III; Pepe Martinez Patacsil, Engineer IV; and Alfredo Padua, Engineer IV/Chief, Quality Control Division.
Aside from the dismissal of the above-mentioned government employees of the Province of Palawan, the Ombudsman also ordered the cancellation of their eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and taking civil service examinations.
The Court of Appeals also upheld the anti-graft office's decision clearing Elena Rodriguez, former Provincial Legal Officer, of charges. It held that the Ombudsman's consolidated decision exonerating Rodriguez from administrative accountability is final and unappealable due to the failure of the complainant Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan to appeal the dismissal of the charges.
The appellate court did not give merit to the claim of the respondents that the investigation of the Ombudsman was premature since under COA’s Rules and Regulation on Settlement of Accounts, an audit report should be followed by notices of disallowances (NDs) which may be appealed within six months.
Source: PNA
CA Affirms Dismissal of 18 Employees of Palawan Province Due to Malampaya Scam Worth P2.57 Billion
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
September 04, 2018
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Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
September 04, 2018
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