Roderick Paulate Suspended over 'Ghost Employees'

Image courtesy of www.kakulay.blog.com

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered the preventive suspension of actor and Quezon City councilor Roderick Paulate in connection with raps filed against him and three others for supposedly hiring ghost employees.

Paulate, councilor Francisco Calalay, Jr., and liaison officers Flordeliza Alvarez and Vicente Bajamunde are facing charges of Serious Dishonesty, Gross Neglect of Duty, Grave Misconduct, Falsification of Official Documents, and Conduct Grossly Prejudicial to the Best Interest of Service.

Morales found sufficient grounds to suspend them for six months without pay.

The 11-page order dated July 5, 2012 states that “strong evidence of guilt on the part of the respondents… the indorsement of these contractual employees to the Legislative Department and their attestation that these employees rendered services, tend to show that they knowingly or willfully used their positions in placing under the employ of the local government of Quezon City."

The Field Investigation Office noted that the National Statistics Office (NSO) and theNational Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have no records of birth or records or clearances, respectively, of a number of these contractual persons.

The investigation was hinged on the complaint filed by Jimmy Lee Davis, a “QC insider”.

The ghost employees supposedly received monthly wages ranging from P2,500 to P5,000.

For the period January to November 2010, Calalay allegedly maintained a total of 29 ghost employees, while Paulate maintained 30 for the period July 2010 to November 2010.

Calalay supposedly disbursed a total of P2,175,000 while Paulate disbursed P1,125,000.

Source: ABS-CBNnews.com