601 Phil. 344
PER CURIAM:
(a) DIRECT Mr. Arturo S. Batongbacal, former Clerk of Court, MTC, Pulilan, Bulacan, to(i) IMMEDIATELY RESTITUTE his incurred shortages on General Fund, Judiciary Development Fund and Fiduciary Fund amounting to Twenty-Six Thousand Nine Hundred Nineteen Pesos (P26,919.00). Fifty-Seven Thousand Four Hundred Six-Seven Pesos (P57,467.00) and Two Hundred Ninety-Eight Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Nine Pesos (P298,179.00), respectively, in their respective fund bank account, through Ms. Froctosa I. Ceñidoza, the incumbent Clerk of Court, copy furnished the Fiscal Monitoring Division, Court Management Office, with the machine validated deposit slip/s as proof of compliance; and
(ii) TRANSMIT to this Court, through the Fiscal Monitoring Division, Court Management Office, all the documents (marked x) to support the validity and authenticity of the withdrawals/refund of the following cashbonds:
COLLECTIONS | WITHDRAWALS | |||||
Date of Collections | OR No. | CASE NO. | NAME OF LITIGANTS | AMOUNTS | CO | AR |
7-Jul-97 | 7050572 | 1197-M-97 (97-5913) | JENNY MENDOZA | 20,000.00 | 1/9/98 | X |
8-Dec-97 | 7050713 | 97-6308 | RED MENDOZA | 20,000.00 | 1/26/98 | X |
16-Dec-97 | 7050715 | 97-6316-20 | JOSE L. TECSON/ R. DE GUZMAN | 6,000.00 | Apr-98 | X |
22-Apr-97 | 5383948 | 97-5742 | R. ESTRELLA | 10,000.00 | 5/20/98 | X |
16-Feb-98 | 7050713 | 98-6462 | CORNELIO BAUTISTA | 1,200.00 | 6/18/98 | X |
4-May-98 | 7050745 | 97-5764 & 68 | SHIRLEY PAGUIO | 20,000.00 | 6/24/98 | X |
97-5770 & 72 | ||||||
15-Jul-98 | 9404013 | 98-6645 | CESAR DIMLA | 2,000.00 | 6/30/98 | X |
22-Aug-97 | 7050589 | 97-6019 | T. JAYME | 25,000.00 | 7/9/98 | X |
23-Mar-98 | 7050739 | 98-6499 | E. PAVO | 15,000.00 | 7/16/98 | X |
21-Apr-98 | 7050742 | 98-6512 | GILBERT MENDOZA/ V. FAVIAN | 6,000.00 | X | 07/18/98 |
5-May-98 | 7050746 | 98-6542 | ELISCO MANAHAN | 10,000.00 | 6/3/98 | X |
21-May-98 | 7050750 | 98-6516 | CLARITA GOJO CRUZ | 2,000.00 | 7/10/98 | X |
27-Jun-97 | 7050568 | 13117 | JOSELITO ROBLES | 6,000.00 | X | 08/06/98 |
6-Oct-97 | 7050596 | 487-97 | EDNA BRILLANTE | 11,000.00 | X | 08/11/98 |
20-Jan-99 | 9404047 | 98-6764 | SOFRONIO DE JESUS | 1,000.00 | X | 02/18/99 |
7-Oct-98 | 9404030 | 12123-98 (12343 W) | MERLYN CAMZA | 2,000.00 | X | X |
19-Dec-97 | 7050722 | 97-6323-24 | ALLAN LOMBOSON (L. ARCEO) | 1,000.00 | 7/29/99 | X |
8-Mar-99 | 9404460 | 98-6649 | RANDY REYES/ RESURRECION | 5,000.00 | Jul-99 | X |
21-Jun-99 | 9404473 | 99-7014-15 | JOSE DELA PENA | 7,000.00 | 7/26/99 | X |
12-Aug-96 | 5383742 | L. ALEJO | 5,000.00 | 8/11/99 | X | |
23-Jan-98 | 7050728 | 98-6362 | ALEXANDER VILLENO | 7,000.00 | X | 09/16/99 |
9-Jul-98 | 9404009 | 98-6598 | FELICIANO SAMSON | 2,000.00 | 8/18/99 | X |
2-Oct-98 | 9404029 | 98-6753-62 | RUEL T. CRUZ | 50,000.00 | X | 09/28/99 |
27-May-97 | 7050557 | 97-5820 | TIMOTEO MANUEL PABLO | 10,000.00 | 9/15/99 | X |
13-Jan-00 | 9404493 | 00-7290 | ROSALINA SANTIAGO | 1,000.00 | X | 02/09/00 |
24-Jan-00 | 9404496 | 00-1306 | ROSALINA SANTIAGO | 2,500.00 | 2/16/00 | X |
28-Jan-00 | 9404498 | 00-7307 | ELIZABETH CRUZ | 1,000.00 | 2/16/00 | X |
2-Feb-00 | 9404499 | 00-7311 | JULIA C. SANTOS | 12,000.00 | X | 02/07/00 |
7-Jul-98 | 9404008 | 98-6635 | ERNESTO LAGSA | 15,000.00 | 3/22/00 | X |
2-Feb-00 | 9404500 | 00-7314 | CELSO CRUZ | 2,100.00 | 3/1/00 | X |
13-Jan-00 | 9404495 | 00-7291 | JOSEPHINE GINERO | 4,000.00 | 4/12/00 | X |
19-Apr-00 | 10969518 | 00-7503 | MARTINIANO SANTOS | 10,000.00 | X | May-00 |
22-Sep-99 | 9404478 | 99-7081 | CYNTHIA PADO | 6,000.00 | X | Jun-00 |
10969534 | 00-7666 | REMEDIOS DELA CRUZ | 5,000.00 | 8/23/00 | X | |
10969535 | 00-7668 | SANTOS | 5,000.00 | 8/23/00 | X | |
28-Jan-99 | 9404050 | 99-6891 | AMAD MANGULAGNAN/ S. RIVERA | 30,000.00 | 9/11/00 | X |
17-Oct-00 | 10969540 | 00-7721 | PRIMITIVA REYES | 3,000.00 | X | 10/17/00 |
22-Jan-98 | 7050727 | 98-6350-54 | SERGIO RODRIGUEZ | 35,000.00 | 12/19/00 | X |
12-Dec-00 | 10969555 | 00-7787 | ANTONIO CASAS /EMMANUEL CRUZ | 10,000.00 | 12/13/00 | X |
31-Jan-97 | 5383927 | 17661 | NEIL SOYANGCO | 15,000.00 | X | 01/18/01 |
1-Sep-00 | 10969534 | 00-7685 | ANTONIO CASAS | 20,000.00 | 1/24/01 | X |
15-Jan-01 | 10969558 | 00-7823 | ERIC CAPULONG/ EFREN FELIFE | 10,000.00 | 1/24/01 | X |
19-Jan-01 | 10969559 | 00-7825 | ROLANDO T. GOLGOTA/ RAFAEL G. | 10,000.00 | X | 02/05/01 |
20-Jan-01 | 10969560 | 00-7831 | GERRY FELIPE | 5,000.00 | 3/14/01 | X |
12-Feb-01 | 10969562 | 00-7729 | LEONARDO CRUZ | 5,500.00 | 3/5/01 | X |
5-Mar-01 | 10969564 | 2189631 | MARINA SALONGA/ M. LOPEZ | 15,000.00 | 3/7/01 | X |
8-Mar-01 | 10969566 | 01-7903 | VICTORIA DALISAY/ W. BULATAO | 4,000.00 | 3/21/01 | X |
19-Mar-01 | 10969568 | 01-7863 | MINERVA ORALLIO | 5,000.00 | 4/18/01 | X |
15-Mar-99 | 9404461 | 99-6914 | TEOFILO JAYME/ A. JAYME | 20,000.00 | 6/18/01 | X |
10-May-01 | 10969574 | 01-7969 | MARIBEL GONZALES | 20,000.00 | X | 06/15/01 |
11-Jun-01 | 10969577 | 01-7990 | ANTONIO CASAS/ W. BAYLON | 5,000.00 | 6/13/01 | X |
12-Dec-00 | 10969553 | 00-7786 | HERMINIO SALVADOR/ A. RAMIREZ | 3,000.00 | 8/22/01 | X |
7-Aug-01 | 10969589 | 01-8048 | ALBERTO CABRAL ET AL./ A. CASAS | 15,000.00 | 8/8/01 | X |
5-Jan-00 | 9404491 | 00-7282 | WILFREDO BELONIO | 6,000.00 | 9/19/01 | X |
11-Sep-01 | 10969592 | 01-8078 | GERRY SANCHEZ | 10,000.00 | 9/12/01 | X |
4-Apr-01 | 10969571 | 01-7919-21 | ZENAIDA SULIT-ALFONSO/ EFREN S. | 6,000.00 | X | 10/04/01 |
23-Apr-01 | 10969573 | 01-7821 | DOLORES BERSANO/ F. AUSTIN | 1,500.00 | X | 10/10/01 |
18-May-98 | 7050749 | 98-6527 | RUFINO DE JESUS | 10,000.00 | X | 11/19/01 |
28-Sep-01 | 10969594 | 01-8029 | RICARDO V. FLORES/ TONY CASAS | 5,000.00 | 11/21/01 | X |
27-Oct-01 | 13565003 | 01-8120 & 8121 | LEONARA MARAGUINOT | 4,000.00 | X | 11/26/01 |
28-Nov-01 | 13565010 | 01-8152 | ANTONIO CASAS | 5,000.00 | 12/5/01 | X |
10-Dec-01 | 13565012 | 01-8162 | TONY CASAS | 15,000.00 | 12/12/01 | X |
Grand Total 600,800.00 |
[Should Mr. Batongbacal fail to provide this Court with the documents (marked x) needed to support the withdrawals of the above-presented cashbonds, the same shall be considered outstanding and unwithdrawn, and Mr. Batongbacal should restitute the amount of Six Hundred Thousand Eight Hundred Pesos (P600,800.00).];(b) DEFER ACTION on the Motion for Reconsideration of the resolution of July 7, 2004 and Letter dated August 19, 2004, both filed by Mr. Batongbacal, until he complies with the foregoing directives;
(c) DIRECT Ms. Remedios I. Roxas, former Officer-in-Charge, to
(i) EXPLAIN why she should not be administratively sanctioned for failure to deposit her collections on time and RESTITUTE the following shortages to their respective bank accounts, within fifteen (15) days from notice hereof, through Ms. Froctosa I. Ceñidoza, the incumbent Clerk of Court:(1) Clerk of Court General Fund shortage amounting to Two Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-Three Pesos and 20/100 (P2,533.20);(ii) FURNISH the Fiscal Monitoring Division, Court Management Office, with the duly validated machine copies of the General Fund, Philippine Mediation Center Trust Fund and Fiduciary Fund deposit slips or clear certified true copy of the validated deposit slips and certified true copy of the Fiduciary Fund LBP Savings Account No. 0101-2064-59 as evidence of compliance;
(2) Philippine Mediation Center Trust shortage amounting to One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00); and
(3) Fiduciary Fund shortage amounting to Two Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Pesos (P276,000.00);
(iii) EXPLAIN the reasons behind the following:(1) Setting aside of Official Receipts Nos. 16304300 and 16304412 which were allegedly reserved for transactions that did not materialize, and subsequently cancelled only on December 1 and 2, 2004;d-1 OR No. 16304252
(2) Cancellation of Official Receipts Nos. 16304404, 16304447 and 16304522 under dubious circumstances;
(3) Official Receipt No. 16304436 amounting to P6,000.00 which is blank but had corresponding court order and acknowledgment receipt; and
(4) Double use of Official Receipts Nos. 16304252 and 16304432 for different dates/cases/payors/amounts, to wit:
DATE CASE NO Litigant/Bondsman AMOUNT 7May02 02-8261 Yolando Enriquez P 2,000.00 (source OR triplicate) 22May02 02-8329 Antonio Casas P15,000.00 CO none AR6/29/02 (source AR6/29/02)
d-2 OR No. 16304432
DATE CASE NO Litigant/Bondsman AMOUNT 3Jul03 4-9074-9075 Edilberto Santos P 30,000.00 CO4/29-04 AR5/6/04 (source AR5/6/04) 3Jul03 3-8805 Edilberto Santos P 30,000.00 CO none AR none (source OR triplicate)
(iv) EXPLAIN and ACCOUNT for the following Official Receipts (Ors) booklets/sheets that have remained unaccounted to date:
INCLUSIVE
SERIAL NUMBERS QUANTITY
BOOKLETS/S QUANTITY
SHET/S 1356101-135615150 1 19782401-19782450 1 19782651-19782700 3 16304496 1
(v) TRANSMIT to the Court, through the Fiscal Monitoring Division, Court Management Office, the documents needed to support the validity of the cashbonds withdrawals with lacking/incomplete documents, amounting to Four Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P499,500.00), as presented below:
DATE OF COLLECTION | OR NO. | CASE NO. | NAME OF PAYOR | COLLECTIONS | WITHDRAWALS | AUDIT OBSERVATIONS/ REMARKS | |
CO | AR | ||||||
22-Sep-97 | 7050594 | 97-6051/02-1165M | ERLINDA GRANDE | 12,000.00 | 11/20/03 | NO DATE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
13-May-98 | 7050747 | 98-6543 | ALICIA ORBE | 50,000.00 | NONE | 6/25/03 | No Court Order |
28-Jun-99 | 10989974 | 03-1157 | PRIMITIVO IGNACIO | 30,000.00 | NONE | 5/7/03 | No Court Order |
5-Feb-00 | 13564810 | 7237 | Can not be deciphered | 30,000.00 | NONE | 2/15/02 | No Court Order |
7-Mar-00 | 13564812 | 03-1157 | REYNALDO CASTILLO | 50,000.00 | NONE | 5/7/03 | No Court Order |
21-Jul-00 | 10969528 | 00-7465 | REGINA REYES GO | 4,000.00 | NONE | 9/19/02 | No Court Order |
7-Sep-00 | 10969945 | REYNALDO CASTILLO | 50,000.00 | NONE | 5/7/03 | No Court Order | |
18-Jul-01 | 10969583 | 01-7937-38 | FELY V. SAN ANDRES | 3,000.00 | NONE | 9/4/02 | No Court Order |
19-Sep-01 | 10969593 | 01-8085 | PAUL TANJUTCO | 15,000.00 | NONE | 1/21/02 | No Court Order |
No date | 10969596 | 01-8082 | EUGENIO Q. CRUZ | 5,000.00 | NONE | 7/12/02 | No Court Order |
8-Oct-01 | 10969597 | 01-8082 | RENATO DE LA CRUZ | 5,000.00 | NONE | 7/12/02 | No Court Order |
8-Oct-01 | 10969598 | 01-8082 | SUSANA B. SANTOS | 5,000.00 | NONE | 7/12/02 | No Court Order |
13-Oct-01 | 13565001 | 01-8083 | BERNARDO SANTOS | 3,000.00 | NONE | 4/4/02 | No Court Order |
13-Oct-01 | 13565001 | 01-8083 | LEOVEGILDO SABANDEJA | 3,000.00 | NONE | 7/12/02 | No Court Order |
14-Nov-01 | 13565004 | 01-8139 | TONY CASAS | 5,000.00 | NONE | 3/13/02 | No Court Order |
27-Nov-01 | 13565008 | 01-8082 | Can not be deciphered | 5,000.00 | NONE | 7/12/02 | No Court Order |
12-Dec-01 | 13565014 | 01-8171 | Can not be deciphered | 15,000.00 | NONE | 11/29/02 | No Court Order |
30-Jan-02 | 13565022 | 01-8221 | TERESITA D. REYES | 5,000.00 | NONE | 3/12/02 | No Court Order |
31-Jan-02 | 13565023 | 02-88825 | D.L. SANTOS | 5,000.00 | NONE | 2/15/02 | No Court Order |
4-Feb-02 | 13565024B | 02-8228-29 | VICENTE B. ESGUERRA | 12,000.00 | NONE | 11/20/02 | No Court Order |
15-Feb-02 | 13565029 | 02-8237 | RENATO V. PERALTA | 10,000.00 | NONE | 03/18/02 | No Court Order |
1-Apr-02 | 13565035 | 02-8282 | ALEJANDRO FELIPE | 6,000.00 | NONE | 07/12/02 | No Court Order |
22-Apr-02 | 13565047 | 02/8280 | SUSANA B. SANTOS | 5,000.00 | NONE | 07/31/02 | No Court Order |
29-Apr-02 | 13565049 | 02/8312 | TONY CASAS | 10,000.00 | NONE | 05/08/02 | No Court Order |
10-Jun-02 | 16304256 | 02/8349 | ROBERTO SEGUNDA M. FERRIOLS | 15,000.00 | NONE | 07/12/02 | No Court Order |
19-Jun-02 | 16304257 | 02-8322 | ARIS T. ABANTE | 15,000.00 | 10/6/03 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
1-Jul-02 | 16304259 | 02-8380 | JOEL ROMERO | 5,000.00 | NONE | 05/03/03 | No Court Order |
2-Sep-02 | 16304263 | 02-8440 | TONY CASAS | 8,000.00 | NONE | 09/18/02 | No Court Order |
2-Jan-03 | 16304286 | 03-8586 | JESUS BUENCAMINO | 28,000.00 | NONE | 06/08/03 | No Court Order |
17-Feb-03 | 16304296 | 03-8624 | PAUL MADRIGAL | 8,000.00 | 2/26/03 | 02/26/06 | EXPLAIN CO Crim03-8624 AR Crim03-8634 |
5-Mar-03 | 16304401 | 03-8655 | ANTONIO CASAS (jueteng) | 24,000.00 | NONE | 03/25/03 | No Court Order |
25-Mar-03 | 16304406 | 03-8692 | MANUEL RONO (jueteng) | 4,000.00 | NONE | 06/18/03 | No Court Order |
7-May-03 | 16304416 | 03-8757 | ANTONIO CASAS | 12,000.00 | NONE | 05/20/03 | No Court Order |
11-Jul-03 | 16304434 | 02-8294 | YOLANDA BALONZO | 2,000.00 | NONE | 11/03/04 | No Court Order |
30-Jul-03 | 16304436 | 03-8830 | TEODORO SANTOS | 6,000.00 | 7/30/03 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
7-Aug-03 | 16304438 | 02-8206 | THERESA CAYASAO | 5,000.00 | NONE | 09/30/03 | No Court Order |
15-Aug-03 | 16304440 | 02-8397 | CRISPIN DALANGIN | 4,000.00 | 9/10/03 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
15-Aug-03 | 16304441 | 02-8396 | CRISPIN DALANGIN | 3,000.00 | 9/10/03 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
13-Nov-03 | 16304504 | 03-8960 | ROLANDO M. SANTOS | 5,000.00 | 11/20/04 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
13-Nov-03 | 16304505 | 03-8960 | ROLANDO M. SANTOS | 10,000.00 | 11/20/04 | NONE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
12-Feb-04 | 16304509 | 04-9029 | MILYN MARCELO | 2,500.00 | 3/11/04 | NO DATE | No Acknowledgment Receipt |
TOTAL Php 499,500.00 |
Batongbacal did not comply with the directives of the above-mentioned Resolution.[Should Ms. Roxas fail to provide this Court with the lacking documents needed to support the withdrawals of the above-presented cashbonds, the same shall be considered outstanding and unwithdrawn, and Ms. Roxas should restitute the amount of Four Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P499,500.00).];(d) DOCKET the subject report as a regular administrative complaint and include Ms. Remedios I. Roxas as a respondent therein, thus: A.M. No. P-06-2190 (Office of the Court Administrator vs. Arturo S. Batongbacal, former Clerk of Court, and Remedios I. Roxas, Court Stenographer I, MTC, Pulilan, Bulacan).[12]
The Court adopts with modifications the recommendations of the OCA.
- The Motion for Reconsideration [filed on September 26, 2007]of respondent Remedios I. Roxas, Court Stenographer I, MTC-Pulilan, Bulacan BE DENIED for lack of merit;
- Respondent Roxas BE DISMISSED from the service for Malversation of Funds, with forfeiture of her entire retirement benefits including her withheld salaries and the monetary value of her earned leave credits as well as disqualification from re-employment in any branch of the government or in any government-owned or controlled corporation; and the OCA BE DIRECTED to file the corresponding criminal case against her before the appropriate prosecution office and court;
- Respondent Roxas' withheld salaries from September 2004 to August 2008 amounting to P164,609.64 and her earned leave credits with the money value of P202,073.08 as of June 30, 2008 BE FORFEITED and REMITTED to the Fiduciary Account of the MTC-Pulilan, Bulacan;
- Respondent Roxas BE DIRECTED to RESTITUTE the balance of P401,817.28. Of this amount, P400,817.28 shall be deposited to the Fiduciary Fund of MTC-Pulilan, Bulacan and the remaining amount to the Philippine Mediation Trust Fund of MTC-Pulilan, Bulacan and to SUBMIT PROOF of such remittance to the FMD, CMO, OCA; and
- The Financial Management Office, OCA BE DIRECTED to facilitate the remittance of the withheld salaries of respondent Roxas covering the period September 2004 to August 2008 amounting to P164,609.64 and her earned leave credits with the money value of P202,073.08 as of June 30, 2008 to the Fiduciary Account of the MTC-Pulilan, Bulacan; and the FMO, OCA be FURTHER DIRECTED to FURNISH the Fiscal Monitoring Division, CMO, OCA of the machine-validated deposit slip as proof of such remittance.[28]
Per report of the OCA, Roxas became the officer-in-charge on February 11, 2002. Hence, it is clear from the foregoing that Roxas's excuse is untenable because for almost three years, even before the alleged loss of records, she was already greatly remiss in the filing of the required monthly reports of her collections. This is a gross violation of SC Circular No. 32-93 and Administrative Circular No. 5-93.
Clerk of Court General Fund - September 2003 Fiduciary Fund - May 2002 Sheriffs' Trust Fund - None Judiciary Development Fund - November 2004 Philippine Mediation Center Trust Fund - None
Those who work in the judiciary must adhere to high ethical standards to preserve the court's good name and standing. They should be examples of responsibility, competence and efficiency, and they must discharge their duties with due care and utmost diligence since they are officers of the court and agents of law. Indeed, any conduct, act or omission on the part of those who would violate the norm of public accountability and diminish or even just tend to diminish the faith of the people in the judiciary shall not be countenanced.While Roxas performed her functions as an officer-in-charge only in an acting capacity, still the expectation for her to perform all the duties and responsibilities of an accountable officer is not diminished. The fact that she performed her functions in a temporary capacity will not absolve her from liability.[36]
The conduct required of court personnel, from the presiding judge to the lowliest clerk, must always be beyond reproach and circumscribed with a heavy burden of responsibility. As forerunners in the administration of justice, they ought to live up to the strictest standards of honesty and integrity, considering that their positions primarily involve service to the public.[35]