For grave and gross misconduct, Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. sanctioned one provincial employee with dismissal from service with perpetual disqualification from public office while another was meted with six months suspension from service.
Based on report from the Provincial Legal Office, Carmelita S. Tan, an Assessment Clerk at the Provincial Assessor’s Office here, was found guilty of grave/gross misconduct as formally filed by the complainant, Tessie D. Cerezo of Sitio Aplaya in Lingayen.
Cerezo said in her letter of complaint dated April 18, 2012 that Tan allegedly received P35,000 from her last February 2, 2009, as the latter guaranteed the speedy and convenient processing of her real property documents.
In her letter, the complainant said that there was no official receipt issued to her and did not demand any due to trust and confidence. However, instead of complying, Tan did not facilitate anything regarding their transaction.
After repeated follow-ups made, the provincial employee (Tan) failed to accomplish anything which prompted the complainant (Cerezo) demand the return of her money sometime in May 2011.
Criminal case of estafa was then filed against Tan who was previously been charged of similar offense from a different occasion and was meted with 15 days suspension from service last February 9.
On a similar plight, Marcelo R. Lopez, Prison Guard I of the Pangasinan Provincial Jail, was charged six months suspension from service due to gross misconduct.
Lopez, who allegedly convinced, enticed, threatened, intimidated Gilbert Diaz (an inmate) and offered a monetary reward of P25,000 to slay
Felipe Quillope (another inmate).
Felipe Quillope (another inmate).
Based on the Provincial Warden’s incident report, Diaz perpetuated the crime last January 18 when Quillope just arrived from court hearing. The former stabbed the latter twice at the right side of her body.
Thorough investigation showed that Diaz did the crime upon the instruction of Lopez, the prison guard, who allegedly committed the same enticement mechanism earlier over another inmate to slay Quillope.
After undergoing investigation the prison guard was found administratively liable of such offense with six months suspension from service as his penalty.
The provincial government has set its sight to further the cause of genuine public service thru honest-to-goodness manner of work among government employees.
