Archua lawyer optimistic with probe on lost checks

CEBU, Philippines - The lawyer of the credit officer who is facing investigation for the disappearance of checks amounting to P240,000 is optimistic that her client will be exonerated from any culpability.

Following the close door hearing at City Hall yesterday, Lawyer Gloria Dalawampu, the lawyer of Cebu City Medical Center credit officer Lourdes Archua, said she is satisfied with how things went.

“I’m very confident that we have a strong case,” Dalawampu said.

One of the city’s lawyers, Carlo Jimena, told reporters details of the hearing remain confidential.

“As of now, we cannot divulge the admittance and denial of the hearing,” Jimena said. The next pre-conference is set on September.

Archua is currently under a 30-day suspension for her alleged involvement in the release of the 28 Philhealth checks. City Hall, however, clarified that the suspension is not a penalty but a measure to prevent Archua from interfering with the ongoing investigation.

The city legal office said there is a “prima facie administrative case for gross neglect of duty” against Archua when she allegedly released the checks to a certain Concha Ruth Adlawan who disguised herself as an employee of Philhealth.

Archua, for her part, claimed it was one Mary Grace Lopez, an employee of the city treasurer’s office detailed at CCMC who actually released the checks.

Dalawampu earlier cried foul over the “unfair investigation” against her client, saying there is a certain bias in the probe considering it is only her client that is subjected to it. (THE FREEMAN)