Davide forgives canteen worker who was caught stealing relief goods

CEBU, Philippines - The Capitol canteen employee who was caught stealing relief goods meant for super typhoon Yolanda survivors should thank the high heavens it is Christmas.

This, after Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III forgave her, in the spirit of Christmas and upon the recommendation of Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega.

Messie Torralba was just warned that a similar infraction in the future would not be tolerated anymore and shall be dealt with accordingly.

Ortega stressed that they has every right to haul Torralba to court because the misdeed occurred inside Capitol premises and the relief goods were under the custody and disposition of the Provincial Government.

“(But) after taking into account the surrounding circumstances on top of the incessant begging of the suspect for forgiveness, the Provincial Legal Office is overwhelmed by the Spirit of Christmas, which is the season for forgiveness, giving and sharing,” Ortega said.

“(However,) this doesn’t mean that we tolerate such acts within the Provincial Capitol compound,” Davide also told reporters.

Last month, an employee of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), which is in charge of the repacking of relief goods for super typhoon Yolanda survivors, complained that carton boxes of assorted biscuits was being pilfered.

Hearing this, Security Officer III Valeriano Cruz Jr. instructed the Capitol’s closed circuit television (CCTV) personnel to review the footage where the incident happened.

Upon reviewing the tapes, they saw a woman who came out from the canteen taking something from the file of relief goods.

The woman was later identified as Torralba, an employee of the Capitol canteen concessionaire.

She was called to the office of the Civil Security Services Division to shed light on what was seen on the video footage. Torralba denied at first to be the woman on the video but later admitted that it was indeed her.

The CCTV personnel also submitted other footages taken on November 12 and 28, wherein the same woman was captured on camera taking some relief goods.—(FREEMAN)