City treasurer suspended for refusing to release salaries, attend flag ceremony

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the one-year suspension of a treasurer in Dapitan City for refusing to release the salaries of two city personnel as well as to attend the weekly flag raising ceremony and to wear the prescribed office uniform.

In a decision recently signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Dapitan City Treasurer Medelun Pacatang was ordered suspended for one year without pay as she was found guilty of two counts each of administrative offenses of simple misconduct and violation of reasonable office rules and regulations. She was also found guilty of gross insubordination.

The Department of Finance was directed to implement the suspension order.

The ombudsman said its investigation revealed that Pacatang “patently declined” to process and to release the salaries of two newly-appointed personnel despite the directive of Dapitan City Mayor Rosalina Jalosjos.

The ombudsman said Pacatang justified based refusal to release the salaries of the two city personnel on her own “misguided” interpretation of the Civil Service Law and Rules, particularly the Revised Omnibus Rules on Appointments and other Personnel Action.

The ombudsman said Pacatang's refusal to pay the salaries of the employees without justifiable reason “is a clear defiance and violation of the established rules which constitutes simple misconduct.”

Furthermore, the ombudsman investigation revealed that Pacatang was not complying with the mayor’s directive for all city government employees to use the biometric machine system in logging in and out of the office. The ombudsman said Pacatang was also not attending the flag raising ceremony and was not wearing the prescribed office uniform.

The ombudsman said these acts are tantamount to gross insubordination and violation of reasonable office rules and regulations.