SC kinatigan ang ex-city assessors chief vs CSC

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna, Philippines - Kinatigan ng Korte Suprema ang dating City Assessors Chief ng Sta. Rosa City na si Nelly DC Gomez sa kanyang depensa laban sa petisyon ng Civil Service Commission (CSC) na baliktarin ang reso­lusyon ng Court of Appeals noong Setyembre 26, 2016 na ang akusado ay hindi nagkasala ng  Gross Neglect of Duty kaugnay sa liquidation ng P173, 276.00 cash advance.

Ang nasabing cash advance ay sinasabing ginamit sa project implementation at financial management training ng proyektong LOGOFIND ni ex-Mayor Arlene Bawan Arcllas.

Base sa record ng korte, si Gomez ay nakapag-liquidate ng nasabing halaga subalit ang aspeto ng verifications ay hindi naman agad nagawa ng accounting unit ng nasabing lungsod.

Hindi na rin binago ng Korte Suprema ang desisyon ng CA na si Gomez ay dapat disiplinahin lamang ng simple neglect of duty kasabay sa hindi pagkatig nito sa petisyon ng CSC.

Sa desisyon ng SC En Banc sa nasabing kaso sa ilalim ng G.R. No. 229980 na may petsang Abril 25, 2017: “After a judicious study of the case, the court resolved to DENY the petition and AFFIRM the September 26, 2016 decision and February 15, 2017 resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA)  in CA-G.R.SP No. 137442 for failure of the petitioner, CSC, to sufficiently show that the CA committed any reversible error in finding respondent Nelly C. Gomez xxx liable for Simple Neglect of Duty and thus, imposed upon her the penalty of suspension from service for a period of six months. xxxx. “As correctly ruled by the CA, respondent should only be held liable for Simple Neglect of Duty not Gross Neglect of Duty, considering that, per CSC Resolution No. 12-000103 dated January 12, 2012, amending Section 8, Rule V of CSC Resolution No. 04-0676, “full liquidation/settlement payment of the subject cash advance outside the xxx periods (mandated by law) shall constitute the offense of Simple Neglect of Duty punishable by suspension from the service for one (1) month and one (1) day to six months for the first offense xxx.” “Records disclose that respondent, while incurring delay in liquidating her cash advances, nonetheless, fully settled the same. Moreover, it was not disputed that this is respondent’s first offense.” 

Ang Simple Neglect of Duty ay may kaparusahang isang buwan hanggang anim na buwan suspension, kumpara sa iginigiit ng CSC na Gross Neglect of Duty na may pataw na parusa ng pagkatanggal sa trabaho, pagkumpiska ng retirement benefits, at diskwa­lipikasyon sa paghawak ng anumang posisyon sa pamahalaan.