Misconduct complaint 2 public School Teachers cleared

CEBU, Philippines - For the failure of the complainants to subs-tantiate their allegations, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas dismissed their complaints filed against two public school teachers.

Graft investigator Llorene Grace Ompod found no evidence to indict respondents Rhodora Ledezma and Gloria Portarcos for misconduct and Republic Act 6713 otherwise known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“This office finds no sufficient evidence that respondents indeed uttered defamatory words against herein complainants. There may be, at the very least, a confrontation that took place between the parties but it is quite unlikely that respondents indeed uttered defamatory words,” the resolution reads.

Earlier, Carmensita Quimada, Elpidia and Maria Donna Embodo filed administrative complaints against respondents for allegedly calling them “shameful and defamatory words.”

In her complaint, Quimada alleged that on June 7, 2010 at around 5:00 p.m. while she was on her way to fetch water she meet Ledezma who according to her suddenly uttered defamatory words in the presence of their neighbors.

The complainants said the actuations of respondents were unfit for their profession being public school teachers.

Ledezma teaches at Basak Community School, Cabreros St., Basak, San Nicolas, Cebu City while Portarcos at Basak San Nicolas Elementary School, N. Bacalso Avenue, San Nicolas, Cebu City.

In their counter-affidavit, the respondents denied the allegations claiming the complaints were mere fabrications. They said it would be impossible for them to utter defamatory words considering they arrived at their house at 5:30 p.m. from school.

Respondents cited that prior to the incident, they filed complaints before their barangay against Elpedia for oral defamation and land dispute and no settlement happened.

However, they said they did not bring the issue in court for humanitarian reasons.

Ompod, in her resolution, stated that based on the evidence presented by the complainant - the police blotter, medical abstract and medical certificate – these failed to establish that indeed they were defamed considering no witnesses corroborated their allegations.

“It appears that their testimonies were self-serving considering that animosity between them and the respondents were already present prior to the subject incident,” the resolution reads.

Ompod noted that the complainants were “not completely honest to account to the prevailing incidents between them and the respondents.” — (FREEMAN)