Ombudsman affirms OWWA director’s suspension
THE Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in the Visayas has affirmed the nine-month suspension of Overseas Workers’ Welfare Association (OWWA) Central Visayas director Wilfreda Misterio over various infractions she allegedly committed.
The OWWA administrator was directed to implement the suspension order against Misterio and to promptly submit a compliance report to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The OMB Visayas ruling, penned by graft investigation and prosecution officer Carmelle Baybay-Suson, said there was no reason to reverse an earlier ruling that found Misterio guilty of “conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”
The decision, dated Jan. 18. 2016 and approved by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer M. Clemente on Feb. 10, 2016, was released yesterday by the anti-graft body.
Misterio was earlier ordered suspended for nine months without pay for using a government vehicle to fetch her from her residence to the office, and for bringing the OWWA janitress to do chores in her house.
She was also held liable for pulling out office supplies such as batteries, alcohol, and tissue paper for her personal and family use, as well as for making false claims for meal reimbursement for a person who didn’t attend a meeting.
Aside from her administrative liabilities, Misterio is also facing trial on charges of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Misterio requested the Ombudsman Visayas to reconsider its ruling. But her plea was denied.
“There is no misappreciation of facts in convicting her (Misterio) because there is overwhelming evidence showing that she used the government vehicle in fetching her from her residence to her office,” Suson said in the order.
The investigator said Misterio’s arguments in her motion for reconsideration are “mere rehash” of her earlier arguments. “The Office finds no cogent reason to reverse its findings,” Suson said.
The issues stemmed from a complaint filed by OWWA 7 supply officer Romyl Cabillo in 2013 accusing Misterio of using the OWWA vehicle in bringing her from her home to the office on March 7, 13, and 15, 2012.
He also accused Misterio of bringing the office janitress to do household chores in her house on March 13, 2013, and for pulling out office supplies on weekends.
OWWA driver Rondell Nolido executed a sworn statement to prove the accusations, which were corroborated by the entries on the logbook of the office’s security guard.
In her counter-affidavit, Misterio said the security logbook was merely an “unverified and unofficial” note by the guard. She admitted using the OWWA vehicle but said it was all for official businesses.
Misterio also admitted bringing the OWWA janitress to her residence but insisted the latter was only asked to clean, sort out, and bring to the office some official files or documents that were in her home. She said the janitress washed dishes in her house maybe because the latter was “used to it.”
Misterio denied using office resources and supplies for personal use.
As to accusations that she made false claims by including a certain Dineza Espejo as a participant in an event so she could claim meal reimbursement, Misterio said she made an “honest and inadvertent mistake.”
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