Charges filed against 3 city hall employees for pocketing gov’t fund

12/05/2008

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday ordered the filing of charges of grave dishonesty against three city employees assigned to the Wagas, Asuncion and Padre Rada Markets in Tondo who collected from stallholders fees for mayor’s permits and registration papers amounting to P100,000 but did not remit the amount to the City Treasurer’s Office.

The three city market employees —Eugenio Guerrero, Presisima Gonzales and Edgar Suarez — were the subject of a complaint filed by stallholders Wilfredo Villalobos, Rosario Alcaras, Ramon San Agustin, Maria Oreta and others before Manila Barangay Bureau director Roland Lim.

Gonzales asked the vendors to pay their mayor’s and business permits for January to March 2008. She said she remitted the collection, amounting to P100,000 to Suarez who, however, did not remit the collection to the City Treasurer.

During the investigation conducted by Director Lim, Gonzales admitted having collected from the vendors after clearing with Guerrero who told her “bahala ka na. Wag mo lang pipilitin silang magbayad,” in effect granting permission for such collection, Director Lim said.

Guerrero in a memorandum to his superior, Efleda Castro, denied his involvement in the alleged illegal collection. He also stated he did not authorize Gonzales to collect fees for the permits of the vendors.

City legal officer Renato de la Cruz was asked by the Mayor Lim to investigate the case and give his recommendations in five days. At the City Legal Office, Gonzales admitted having collected and remitting this amount to Suarez. Guerrero admitted having said “bahala ka na, wag mo lang silang pipilitin.”

“Suarez did not submit any motion to dismiss or any bill of particulars and opted to be silent in both investigations,” De la Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lim made Edwin Mel Garingalao, local assessment operations officer II at the City Assessment Office, very happy this Christmas by approving his re-entry into city hall following the ruling of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) favoring Garingalao.

Garingalao was dismissed by Lim’s predecessor in December 2004 but prior to that was placed on 60-day suspension (October to November 2004) “for his alleged dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”

But the CSC in its ruling last October 28 exonerated Garingalao from such charges and ordered the city to pay him back wages.

The city legal officer, on instruction of Mayor Lim, coordinated with City Assessor Lourdes Laderas to determine the amount of back wages due Garingalao from October 2004 to December 2007 and his current year wages. The back wages total P759,765 and the current wages P139,756.02 net of PagIbig, Philhealth and GSIS.

“Since we did not have any appropriation for Garingalao’s back wages, we negotiated with him to waive this in exchange for his immediate re-entry and payment of current wages to which he agreed,” the mayor said.

The settlement is advantageous both to the city and Garingalao while upholding the ruling of the CSC, the mayor stressed.

Pat C. Santos

Back to top

For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
The Daily Tribune © 2006