Ex-QC Post Office employee gets 7 years for failing to discern invalid check

A former Quezon City Hall Post Office employee was sentenced to a maximum of seven years of imprisonment for accepting an invalid check as payment for postage stamps.

In a nine-page decision recently promulgated by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 216, Ma. Cristina Orario, former cashier of the QC Central Post Office, was found “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Orario was sentenced to six years to seven years of imprisonment and was ordered to pay a fine of P123,720. She was also ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

The court said prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman were able to present sufficient documents showing that Orario had a cash shortage of P122,189 arising from her acceptance of a personal check amounting P200,000 representing payment for postage stamps.

The check, however, was not honored by the bank due to closure of the account.

In his decision, QC RTC Branch 216 Presiding Judge Alfonso Ruiz II said Orario’s failure to exercise caution and prudence when she accepted the check as payment for the postage stamps, without verifying first its authenticity or validity, has caused undue injury to the government.

Ruiz further said that Orario also violated Philippine Postal Corporation Memorandum Circulars which prohibit encashment and accommodation of private checks.

Section 3(e) of RA 3019 prohibits a public official from causing undue injury to any party including the government, or giving any party unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. — Elizabeth Marcelo/RSJ, GMA News