2 court workers suspended over loss of case documents

CEBU, Philippines - Two employees from the Office of the Clerk of Court have been suspended for two months without pay after they were found guilty of neglect of duty for the loss of documents in a civil case last 2006.

Clerk of court Jeoffrey Joaquino and court sheriff Arthur Cabigon have been suspended based on a complaint filed by a party involved in a civil case in 2006 after certain documents were said to be missing.

The complaint against the two was regarded as an administrative matter and was raised to the Supreme Court.

Cabigon was allegedly responsible for the documents and was held liable for their loss. Joaquino was also suspended, considering he has command responsibility based on his position as the clerk of court.

But in an interview with the media, Joaquino said that the decision against him is unfair because he is only the head of the office and he was not the one who lost the documents.

Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes said that he talked to Joaquino about the suspension and he asked if the latter would submit a motion for reconsideration for the matter but got an indefinite answer.

Paredes said that both the employees were ordered to serve their suspension starting April 1 and their salaries have already been held.

According to the order of the Supreme Court, the suspension came with a stern warning that a repeat of the same act shall be dealt more severely.

Paredes explained that this is a standard punishment for such offenses so that the same would not be repeated anymore.

Meanwhile, Paredes said yesterday that he is not aware of the note recently posted in the door of the OCC-Regional Trial Court Criminal division signed by Joaquino stating that mediamen, bondsmen, and the general public should transact their respective businesses with the office through the window only.

It added that “measures are now being taken for a better record management system to protect and safeguard records and documents, hence we are strictly enforcing a no-standby policy in this office.”

Paredes however said he only learned about the note when asked by reporters and that it should have gone through him for approval.

He said he will take it up the matter with the other judges during a meeting this Monday. (FREEMAN NEWS)