CCMC credit officer: "I was unfairly treated"

CEBU, Philippines – The credit officer of Cebu City Medical Center who was blamed for the missing 28 Philhealth checks yesterday took the witness to convince the court that a writ of preliminary injunction is necessary to stop the administrative investigation against her.

Maria Lourdes Archua told the court that it was unfair for her to be investigated for the offense committed by another City Hall employee. Archua said she was not the one responsible for the release of the checks amounting to P239,460.25 but utility worker Mary Grace Lopez of the City Treasurer's Office who was detailed at the CCMC.

It was allegedly Lopez who released the checks to a certain Concha Ruth Adlawan who claimed to be an employee of Philhealth. Archua said she has already served 30 days preven-tive suspension which ended last August 31.

Archua lamented that while she has been placed under administrative investigation by the Special Administrative Investigation Committee headed by Mayor Michael Rama with lawyers from the City Legal Office as members, Lopez and another employee, Bert Colong, who rediscounted six of the 28 checks, were spared from it.

She claimed to have been unfairly treated and subjected to grossly oppressive, arbitrary and unreasonable conduct by the investigating panel.

Archua petitioned before the court that a writ of preliminary injunction be issued in her favor enjoining the special investigation committee to proceed with the administrative in-vestigation against her.

She is also asking the court that should there be a continued investigation, it should be opened to the media.  

Archua prayed that Rama will be substituted as chairman and the members of the special investigation committee belonging to the City Legal Office. (FREEMAN)