Ex-Ombudsman exec guilty of making staff member his house helper, bank account dummy

The Internal Affairs Board (IAB) of the Office of the Ombudsman has found a former high-ranking officer guilty of grave misconduct for making an employee of the Office his house helper and bank account dummy.

According to a recent IAB decision approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, former Deputy Ombudsman (DO) for Mindanao Humphrey Monteroso hired a certain Emmanuel Arquellano to be part of his co-terminus staff, occupying the position of Administrative Aide II with Salary Grade 2.

The board, however, noted that based on Arquellano’s sworn affidavit, he was asked by Monteroso to perform domestic chores such as feeding the Monteroso family’s exotic pets including sea eagles, crows, lambs, sea hawks, box turtles, iguanas and lizards. Arquellano said he even accompanied Monteroso to the market during weekends upon the then-Deputy Ombudsman’s order.

The decision said Monteroso “unfairly took advantage” of Arquellano when he made him perform household chores for his family during his tenure as a civil servant without proper compensation.

“Not only were DO Monteroso’s actions willful and intentional, these were clearly illegal, wrongful and improper, especially considering that OMB Mindanao was paying for Arquellano’s salary,” the board’s decision said.

The board also found out that on two separate occasions, Monteroso instructed Arquellano to open bank accounts under the latter’s name and turn over the passbook and ATM to the former.

“Arquellano testified that several transactions were undertaken using these bank accounts and he withdrew significant sums totalling P1,250,000.00 and remitted the money to Monteroso,” the Ombudsman IAB said in its decision.

“Increasingly bothered by the arrangement, Arquellano resigned in March 2012,” the board said.

The board said Monteroso’s denial that he used Arquellano as a dummy to facilitate bank transactions was “inherently weak and unsubstantial” as there were documentary evidence gathered by the board that back up Arquellano’s testimony such as statements of account and bank certifications.

The Ombudsman said it has already directed the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to conduct an inquiry on the transactions of the said bank accounts opened under Aquellano’s name to determine Monteroso’s possible criminal or civil liability of under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA).

Grave misconduct is punishable by dismissal from the service. Considering, however, that Monteroso’s term already expired in December 2013, the board said the dismissal penalty was converted into a fine equivalent to six months' worth of Monteroso's salary when he was Deputy Ombudsman.

Monteroso was also handed the accessory penalties of cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Meanwhile, in another IAB decision also approved by Morales, Monteroso was also found guilty of simple neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, in connection with his deliberate failure to act on a criminal case pending before his office for four years despite a directive from the central office as well as several letters from the complainant requesting him to act on the case.

“Monteroso’s continued non-compliance with the directive appears to spring from his lackadaisical attitude towards said case and of this Office’s role in the speedy and efficient administration of justice…tarnishing the image of his office and for which he should be held accountable,” the board decision said.

Simple neglect of duty is punishable by suspension of up to six months while conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service carries a penalty of a minimum six months and one day to a maximum of one year of suspension.

With Monteroso’s separation from the service, the board said the penalty was converted into a fine equivalent to his six months’ worth of salary. — BM, GMA News