Ombudsman files graft raps vs DepEd official

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of graft charges against a Department of Education (DepEd) official for failure to remit Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) premiums of teachers and employees from the DepEd-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the filing of the case after she denied the motion for reconsideration of Leovigilda Cinches, former officer-in-charge regional secretary of DepEd-ARMM.

Records showed that from October 2001 to November 2004, DepEd-ARMM failed to timely remit the GSIS premiums/contributions amounting to P232.9 million resulting in the suspension of the employees’ loan privileges and other benefits.

As OIC regional secretary and Director II for administrative, finance and other support services, “these two positions are mandated to ensure that the monthly GSIS premiums were collected and remitted to the GSIS within thirty (30) days from the time each monthly contributions fell due.”

Aside from the filing of criminal case, Cinches was also found guilty of grave misconduct and was ordered dismissed from the service with the accessory penalties of forfeiture of benefits and disqualification from reemployment in any branch of government.

On the other hand, the complaints against Accountant III Pangalian Maniri, Budget Officer III Mosbicak Ibrahim and Cashier Norensa Arimao, all of DepEd-ARMM, were dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.

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