DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/09 February) — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of criminal charges against three officials of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon over the alleged unauthorized increase in the salary grade of a municipality shop foreman.
Facing charges for graft are Mayor Rogelio Quiño, municipal budget officer Cecilia Quiño-Rejas and foreman Antonio Quiño, Jr.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, in a nine-page resolution, found probable cause to charge the respondents for violation of Sec. 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
A report posted in the Ombudsman official website on Feb. 9 revealed that from 2009 to 2012, Quiño and Quiño-Rejas upgraded Antonio’s salary grade from SG11 to SG15 then to SG18 in violation of Sangguniang Bayan Ordinance Nos. 2000-151 and 2001-57 as well as Republic Act No. 6758 (Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989).
The report said the mayor and the budget officer approved and authorized the increase of Antonio’s daily wage rate from P765.13 to P1,157.90 to the damage and prejudice of the government.
Sec. 6 of Republic Act 6758 states that “all positions in the government shall be allocated to their position titles and salary grades in accordance with the Index of Occupational Service, Position Titles and Salary Grades of the Compensation and Position Classification System which shall be prepared by the DBM.”
Morales also said that “absent any proof of compliance with DBM circulars, the salary grade increases were clearly made without basis and violated the rules on compensation and position classification set under R.A. No. 6758.” (MindaNews)
