Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
Hired for the office, but used for the household.
This was what happened to Emmanuel Arquellano, who was designated as Administrative Aide II, ended up being the some sort of house helper for former deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Humphrey Monteroso.
“According to the Office of the Ombudsman, Monteroso asked Arquellano, whom he hired in September 2011 as a member of his co-terminus staff to perform domestic chores for his family,” reports ABS-CBNnews.com.
The report noted: “The chores that Arquellano was obliged to perform included feeding the animals and accompanying Monteroso to the market on weekends.”
Citing Arquellano’s affidavit, the Ombudsman said “Monteroso unfairly took advantage of his staff member when he made him perform household chores without proper compensation.”
The Ombudsman stated, “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.”
That’s not all.
According to the Ombudsman, “Monteroso also asked Arguellano to open bank accounts in Arquelleno’s name and then turn over the passbook and ATM to Monteroso.”
The report revealed that “several transactions were undertaken using these bank accounts.” For one, Arquellano withdrew significant sums totaling PHP1.25 million, which he remitted to the former deputy Ombudsman. Bothered by the arrangement, Arquellano resigned in March 2012.
The Ombudsman’s Internal Affairs Board (IAB) has confirmed that “the transactions coursed through Arquellano’s name were suspicious.” As such, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is now looking into the matter.
So what was Monteroso’s pubishment? The report explained: “Grave misconduct is punishable by dismissal from the service. But since Monteroso’s term expired in December 2013, the dismissal penalty was converted into a fine equivalent to 6 months’ salary.”
The report went on to say that “Monteroso was also meted out the accessory penalties of cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.”
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman likewise found Monteroso “administratively liable for simple neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service over his deliberate failure to act on a criminal case pending before his office for 4 years.”
Photo: Gov.ph
