Town’s planning exec suspended

THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has suspended for one month and a day without pay an official from San Remegio town, Cebu for his failure to settle his cash advances amounting to P89,101 in 2008.

Jane Aguilar, graft investigation and prosecution officer, suspended Romarico M. Cabellon, the town’s planning and development officer, for simple neglect of duty.

“It is respondent’s sole responsibility to liquidate whatever funds he received from the government,” said Aguilar in her decision.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office that accused Cabellon of neglect of duty and misconduct for his failure to liquidate his advances in 2008.

Despite the supposed lack of documentation to support his cash advances, Cabellon should be held administratively liable for his failure to settle his cash advances, the ombudsman said.

Replying to the charges, Cabellon said he was surprised to learn about his supposedly unsettled cash advances.

He blamed the defective records or filing system in their municipal hall, which led to the loss of his travel documents.

Cabellon said he even asked the town accountant to furnish him with copies of the disbursement vouchers for his cash advances but did not receive any documents.

While he admitted receiving the cash advances, Cabellon said the town’s finance officer never took any action on the matter.

In the decision, Aguilar struck down Cabellon’s alibi of the defective recording system of their municipality as the reason he failed to settle his advances.

“He did not present evidence to show that he had already liquidated his cash advances. Neither did he present proof of reimbursement or refund of the balance of his account abilities,” read Aguilar’s decision.

The ombudsman said that Cabellon should be held administratively liable for violating Section 89 of Presidential Decree 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines. It also directed Cabellon to settle his cash advances within 30 days from receipt of his suspension.

If his suspension could no longer be enforced due to his separation from office, the ombudsman said the penalty should be converted into a fine equivalent to one month’s salary. (GMD)

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