Local News: For Neglect of Duty: VM Sayson Suspends Castillo for Six Months w/o Pay

Found by the investigating committee as liable for simple neglect of duty, SP Stenographer Conchita Castillo was penalized with 6 month-suspension without pay. Memorandum No. 27 series of 2012 was issued yesterday by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, as disciplining authority of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City.

Castillo received yesterday the copy of the said memorandum for her suspension which is effective upon her receipt.

The investigating committee recommended that a formal charge for neglect in the performance of duty be filed against Castillo in relation to the administrative complaint filed against her by the late Sangguniang Secretary Nilo Alejandrino last year.

The administrative complaint filed before the office of the Disciplining Authority/Vice Mayor Sayson, stated dishonesty, falsification of official documents and gross neglect of duty against Con-chita Castillo,who allegedly altered the minutes of the May 25, 2011 session.

Sayson has ordered Castillo to file her answer under oath to the charges within three days from receipt of the order, and thereafter, a formal investigation of the case will proceed, in his order dated Dec. 13, 2011.

Alejandrino, in his complaint-affidavit said, he discovered during the SP 47th session, that Correspondence No. 011-612 was merely "accepted" by the chairman of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government and that no resolution whatsoever was passed granting authority to the mayor to sign the subdivision agreement.

Correspondence No. 011-612 involves the request of the mayor for authority to sign the proposed agreement of subdivision between the City of Bacolod and Ceres Home-owners Association, Inc.

Alejandrino then issued Castillo a memorandum requiring her to explain in writing the circumstances pertaining to Correspondence No. 011-612, after finding out later that SP Resolution No. 509, Series of 2011, that she prepared and finalized, was allegedly a spurious one.

On July 15, 2011, Castillo submitted her reply to the memorandum issued by Alejandrino, stating that it was an "honest mistake."

An Ad Hoc Committee created on July 20, 2011 to conduct a fact finding investigation on the alleged tampering/alteration of the minutes committed by Castillo, found prima facie evidence of certain violations she committed both administrative and criminal in nature, and recommended that a formal notarized complaint be filed against Castillo to the Office of the Vice Mayor.

On October 28, 2011, an investigating committee was created to investigate the complaint filed against Castillo, composed of Councilors Dindo Ramos, Homer Bais and Roberto Rojas.

The committee recommended that a formal charge for neglect in the performance of duty be filed against Castillo and that the Disciplining Authority may preventively suspend her in order to preserve the records of the case and not to influence the outcome of the investigation.*