Ombudsman suspends Calamba registrar for alleged graft
By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:35:00 03/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered the suspension of a registrar of deeds in Laguna for allegedly facilitating transactions that involved fake documents.
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez directed Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to immediately implement the six-month suspension of lawyer Edgar Santos, registrar of deeds of the town of Calamba.
The case against Santos stemmed from a complaint filed by Vedasto Gesmundo, who claimed that a transfer certificate of title for his property was issued and released to a private individual, Lolita Rellama, based on a deed of sale supposedly executed by his late wife, Nelly Nave, in October 1992.
But Gesmundo pointed out that it was impossible for his wife to administer the transaction as she was confined at the Las Piñas Hospital from September 9, 1992 up to the time of her death on December 9, 1992.
In claiming that the documents used by Rellama were falsified and defective, Gesmundo identified several errors in the TCT which Santos issued to Rellama.
He pointed out that the document did not say whether his wife was single or married and it also failed to state her tax identification number.
Gutierrez said the evidence against Santos for grave misconduct was strong and warranted a suspension order against him.
"His continued stay in his office might affect the outcome of the administrative case against him as he may influence or intimidate or even force his subordinates to testify in his favor and (may consequently) perjure themselves," stated the Ombudsman.
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