Paulate, 3 QC execs slapped with six-month suspension over ghost employees’ case

Roderick Paulate

MANILA, Philippines—Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the preventive suspension of former comedian now Quezon City councilor Roderick Paulate and several other local officials in Quezon City for allegedly maintaining “ghost employees” in the payroll of the Quezon City Council.

Aside from Paulate, also ordered suspended are fellow councilor Francisco Calalay, Jr., Liaison Officers Flordeliza Alvarez and Vicente Bajamunde.

The four are facing a case of Serious Dishonesty, Gross Neglect of Duty, Grave Misconduct, Falsification of Official Documents, and Conduct Grossly Prejudicial to the Best Interest of Service.

In an 11-page Order signed on July 5, 2012, Ombudsman Morales found sufficient grounds to place them under preventive suspension for six months without pay.

Morales, in her order, said there is “strong evidence of guilt” on the part of Paulate and the other respondents in the “indorsement of these contractual employees to the Legislative Department…”

The “ghost employees” occupy positions like district coordinators, field investigators, and office aides.

The case stemmed after the Field Investigation Office (FIO) said the complaint of Jimmy Lee Davis through former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has enough basis to undergo formal inquiry.

Based on FIO investigation, the two councilors maintained “job order personnel” under their respective offices which turned out to be fictitious persons.

These fictitious personnel received monthly wages ranging from P2,500  to P5,000.

Investigation disclosed that these fictitious personnel do not have birth records from the National Statistics Office, are not registered voters of Quezon City, have secured NBI clearances, and are not known in the respective barangays where they allegedly reside or the indicated Barangay-addresses where they purportedly reside do not exist.

From January to November 2010, Councilor Calalay maintained 29 ghost employees, while Councilor Paulate maintained 30 ghost employees from July to November 2010.

A total of P2,175,000 in wages was disbursed by Calalay, while Paulate disbursed a total of P1,125,000.

The disbursements of wages were made possible through the submission of spurious Personal Data Sheets and payrolls.