Brgy chief reprimanded for unauthorized travel

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has reprimanded the barangay captain of Sangat in the southern town of San Fernando for going abroad without authority to travel.

Graft investigator Irish Inabangan Amores said there is sufficient evidence to hold Conigunda Enriquez guilty violating “reasonable office rules and regulations.”

“Enriquez is hereby reprimanded and enjoined to be cautious of the existing office rules and policies with a warning that a similar violation in the future will be dealt with severely,” Amores said.

The complaint against Enriquez was filed by former San Fernando Mayor Lakabini Reluya. She alleged that Enriquez traveled abroad without formally filing an application for leave and authority to travel.

The Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office (PACPO) of the Office of the Ombudsman then directed Cesar Cloma, alien control officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), to produce documents to show whether or not Enriquez traveled outside the country.

Cloma subsequently submitted a certification to PACPO that Enriquez indeed traveled abroad.

Enriquez, for her part, admitted failing to secure authority to travel or file an application for leave because her travel to India for the wedding of her only daughter was reportedly urgent.

“Due to time constraint, I was not able to file application for leave. However, my duty as Barangay Captain of Sangat were not jeopardized considering that I designated Genever Enad, one of the barangay officials to perform my duties,” Enriquez explained.

She said that being new to public service, her failure to secure authority to travel was but an “honest lapse of judgment.”

Still, despite her admission, Amores said Enriquez still violated existing rules and policies. However, because it was only her first offense, a reprimand is sufficient.

The Ombudsman directed the mayor of San Fernando to implement the decision and submit a compliance report.   - (THE FREEMAN)