Two former and current directors of the Department of Trade and Industry in Bicol have been found liable for separate offenses in a recent decision of the Ombudsman.
In the Nov. 24, 2021 ruling which was approved only last Jan. 20, 2022 by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, the graft prosecution body found substantial evidence against former DTI regional director Jocelyn Los Baños Blanco for Simple Misconduct and meted her the penalty of fine in an amount equivalent to her salary for six months payable to the Ombudsman.
In the event that she is already separated from the service, the fine would be deducted from the respondent’s retirement benefits, accrued leave credits or any receivable from her office, it added.
On the other hand, Sorsogon provincial director Heginio Armario Baldano was found administratively liable for violation of Sec. 12, Rule XVIIII of the Revised Rules on Civil Service and Section 26 (24) of Executive Order No. 292 and was meted the penalty of reprimand.
In the same decision, the Ombudsman dismissed for lack of merit the other charges of Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, Dishonesty, Grave Abuse of Authority and Grave Misconduct in the case filed by former DTI Catanduanes employee Achilles Alberto I.
It may be recalled that in 2015, the complainant accused the two officials of grave misconduct and other charges for reassigning him from the Catanduanes provincial office to Albay, which led to his resignation from his post.
In 2017, the CSC ruled that his reassignment was not in order and directed his reassignment and payment of backwages.
Two years later, Alberto sued the two DTI officials for colluding with each other in his reassignment and also accused Baldano of working as a Dean of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy of Osmena Colleges in 2012 while he was DTI Division Chief of Business Development in Masbate.
Setting aside Blanco’s claim that Alberto committed forum shopping in filing the case aside from a similar case at the Civil Service Commission, Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Leilani Taguilao-Marquez said that Blanco failed to observe the required process when she issued the reassignment order that effectively resulted in the diminution of the complainant’s salary.
Citing the CSC’s resolution, the Ombudsman noted that Blanco failed to specifically provide the reasons why he had to be reassigned except that it was in the interest of the service.
There was no showing that the reassignment from the Catanduanes office to Albay was intended for public interest of public service, it quoted the CSC decision.
On the other hand, Baldano could not escape liability for admitting that he engaged in a private practice of profession by getting a part-time job as Instructor in Osmena Colleges from June 16, 2003 to April 30, 2013 and as acting college head at Osmena Colleges from June 6, 2011 to April 3, 2013.
The graft body noted that his authority to teach was issued on Aug. 5, 2003, with Dir. Blanco revoking all permits to teach on April 6, 2006.
Baldano likewise did not show that he was authorized to act as head of the College of Arts, Business and Accountancy, which is tantamount to rendering management or administrative work.
The two respondents, however, were not held liable for the other charges for lack of basis.