Charges versus ex-Philpost employee for loss of SSS, GSIS, Philhealth checks

CEBU, Philippines - A former employee of the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) is facing charges before the Regional Trial Court for alleged infidelity in the custody of documents.

Graft investigator Amy Rose Rellin recommended a bail of P24,000 to Mark Warren Vergara for each of the 14 counts of the charge. Vergara was an emergency laborer of the Cebu City Central Post Office. 

Rellin said there was probable cause to file the charges in court after she found sufficient evidence in the complaint filed by Philpost Regional Director Robert Mondoñedo.

Mondoñedo alleged Vergara committed the crime through removal, concealment or destruction of documents of the mails from SSS, GSIS and Philhealth that were supposed to be delivered to 14 people.

Mondoñedo said he was prompted to file the complaint with the Ombudsman after his office received several complaints of non-receipt of checks from SSS, GSIS and Philheath.

On October 4, 2007, Vergara reportedly went on absence without official leave after learning about the complaints. Vergara was assigned as mail delivery personnel at that time.

“Vergara allegedly pilfered the mail matters containing checks from Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) to be delivered to 14 persons,” he said.

Mondoñedo said the assigned letters for delivery were recovered from the house of a certain Aurelia Abelgas of Tisa, Cebu City and from Vergara’s locker at the post office.

Vergara, in his counter affidavit, denied the allegations.

 “I could not be charged since the alleged checks were not payable to the Philpost, but to the different addressees thereof; thus complainant Philpost did not suffer any loss or damage,” he said.

However, Mondoñedo said while the checks were not payable to Philpost, the mail matters were under the protection and liability of Philpost, thus, suffered irreparable loss and injury. (FREEMAN)