NLRC exec indicted over P100K unpaid 'loan'

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted an official of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for soliciting P100,000 from a lawyer handling cases pending before the NLRC.

 

In a 12-page resolution, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the filing of violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and graft charges against Commissioner Angelo Palaña.

 

Palaña is also facing grave misconduct rap and has been ordered dismissed from the service with the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and disqualification for re-employment in the government service.

 

In affidavit-complaint, lawyer Rebene Carrera said that sometime in December 2011, he received an urgent call from Palaña asking him to extend an immediate loan because "he was very badly in need of money".

 

Palana also told Carrera that the loan would be considered as "goodwill money."

 

Records from the NLRC show that Carrera was counsel of record in 16 cases pending before the NLRC 4th Division, of which Palaña is a member.

 

For fear that his cases might be prejudiced, he gave in to Palana's demand and deposited P100,000 in NLRC's official Banco de Oro (BDO) bank account in Dec. 21, 2011.

 

Despite demands, Palaña refused to return the money and instead sent Carrera a handwritten note, showing the cases he had resolved favorably from 2010 to 2012, with figures of P100 or P200 opposite the case titles, all totaling P1,150. 

 

As defense, Palaña claimed that it was an office janitress who made the cash deposit.  

 

"He never refuted nor denied that the said amount was deposited to his account, nor did he refute ownership of said account with BDO," the resolution read.