DA employee sued for ‘lying’

CEBU, Philippines - For allegedly lying, an employee of the Department of Agriculture is facing charges before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Rossini Deniega, an agricultural technologist of Moalboal, was charged for violation of Civil Service Law and other laws for pretending to attend a seminar on the day she attended a court hearing. 

In her complaint, town administrative aide Glesenda Sabanal alleged that sometime in April 2012, Deniega attacked her. But Deniega was the one who filed a complaint for physical injury against Sabanal, claiming the latter attacked her first.

On September 5, 2012, the case was heard in the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Moalboal and based on the court order, Deniega personally appeared in the hearing.

However, on the same day, Deniega allegedly pretended to appear at a seminar at Northwinds Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City, as shown in the municipal hall’s itinerary of travel.

The case was again heard the following day, September 6, 2012, and was still attended by Deniega.

However, Sabanal said Deniega made it appear in her itinerary that she attended a training seminar in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental on that day.

“It is impossible for Ms. Deniega to appear in Moalboal, Cebu and in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental at exactly the same date and time,” Sabanal’s affidavit reads.

Sabanal attached the disbursement vouchers both dated September 6, 2012 and September 5, 2013 in her complaint.

 “On June 26, 2014, Ms. Deniega appeared and testified at MCTC-Moalboal shown in the court order marked as Annex I. However, on the same day, she lied and pretended to appear at Diamond Suites, Cebu City for an orientation seminar as shown in her Daily Time Record,” Sabanal’s affidavit reads.

The complaint was originally filed before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

However, acting deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Rodolfo Elman forwarded the complaint to the Office of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor, which has jurisdiction over the matter. —(FREEMAN)