Quezon City exec suspended over ghost employees

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of a researcher of the Quezon City government who was allegedly an accomplice in the hiring of ghost employees in 2010.

In a resolution promulgated on July 2, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the suspension of Flordeliza Alvarez, who works as a researcher for Councilor Hero Clarence Bautista.

The court said suspension of a government official or employee is mandatory under Section 13 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for any offense involving public funds or fraud against the government.

The Sandiganbayan said the validity of the case against Alvarez was affirmed when she pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in August last year.

Alvarez is on trial for graft and 18 counts of falsification of public documents.

She was a co-defendant of the late councilor Francisco Calalay Jr. in the alleged hiring of 29 ghost employees from January to November 2010.

The Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the cases last year, said Calalay, in conspiracy with his then liaison officer Alvarez, maintained job order personnel who turned out to be fictitious persons.

The ombudsman said Calalay disbursed a total of P2.175 million in funds for the supposed monthly salaries of the ghost personnel, who received P2,500 to P5,000 each.

Magistrates of the Sandiganbayan had dismissed the cases against Calalay due to his death in December 2016.