For insubordination LTO cashier meted 9 months suspension

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has ordered the suspension of an employee of the Land Transportation Office after he was found guilty of gross insubordination.

Epitacio Cabrillos Jr. was meted nine months and one day suspension without pay because of his failure to heed a lawful order from his superior.

Cabrillos who is assigned as cashier at the LTO extension office in Talisay City was directed several times by his chief, Bernardo Borromeo Jr., to submit financial reports.

But despite the series of memoranda issued to him to render an accounting, Cabrillos allegedly refused to comply.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Llorene Grace Razo-Ompod found Cabrillos administratively guilty for gross insubordination.

"In this case, complainant, being respondent's superior officer, directed several times, respondent to submit the required financial reports. In fact, demands were made verbally and through series of memoranda. Despite all these orders, respondent was very adamant in not complying with any of the directives of complainant," the anti-graft office ruled.

Borromeo filed the complaint for grave misconduct and violation of Section 4 of Republic Act 6713 otherwise known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees against Cabrillos.

Borromeo said that Cabrillos was found to have incurred over P7,000 discrepancy during an audit conducted by the Internal Audit Department on August 7, 2012.

Because of the discrepancy, he was directed to submit the 2012 financial report. A memorandum was issued to him in December 2012 aside from the verbal orders.

"Respondent's actuation or disposition depicts not only a mere transgression of an established or definite rule of action but more of an utter disregard of a clear definite and specific directive personally coming from his superior, complainant herein. As such, the act complained of most appropriately fall as an administrative offense of Insubordination," the Ombudsman decision reads. — (FREEMAN)