4 Pasay employees tagged in payroll scam

Qualified theft charges are being readied against four employees at Pasay City Hall for allegedly conspiring to create a list of ghost employees, who were recipients of more than P2 million.

Pasay Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad said Carlito Santy, a clerk assigned at the Office of the City Administrator in charge of preparing appointment papers; Grace Vasco, a computer operator assigned at the Personnel Department; Joselyn Castro from the City Treasury Office and Jonas Constantino from the Pasay City General Hospital, would be charged with qualified theft through falsification of public documents and syndicated estafa.

"I will personally make sure they receive the highest penalty for what they have done," Trinidad said as he confirmed reports of a "payroll scam" at the City Hall.

The irregularity was discovered last March 1 by Dr. Anacleto Mangonon, director of the Pasay City General Hospital.

In his sworn affidavit, Mangonon said he discovered the questionable transaction when he was approached by the hospital’s administrative officer to verify signatures on the payroll list.

Mangonon said his signature on the documents had been forged.

The payroll list included 12 names of non-existent medical officers assigned at the city hospital.

The names that were entered included Jovelyn Santiago, Oliver Quijano, Concepcion Virata, Gemma Zulueta, Virginia Batiller, Maria Lourdes Tan, Grace de Leon, Ma. Consuelo de la Rosa, Rovelyn Vizcarra, Jennifer Castañeda, Geraldine Portunas and Ma. Luisa Ramiero.

Dr. Mangonon immediately sought the help of city administrator Ernestina Bernabe-Carbajal, who reported the complaint to Mayor Trinidad.

An investigation revealed that the four employees conspired not only to create the list of ghost employees, but they made sure that those on the list received regular salaries from June 2005 until February this year.

A payroll period, equivalent to one month, amounts to P138,402.24.

Ma. Belinda Zaguirre, disbursing officer of the Pasay City Treasurer’s Office, said she released the money to Castro.

Trinidad has ordered a review of all existing appointments and listing of personnel in each of the various departments.

"I also instructed concerned City Hall officials to conduct a review of the procedures in the preparation of personnel appointments and groundwork for payroll processing," he said.

The City Legal Department was also directed to review all pending complaints and cases involving city government employees. – Rhodina Villanueva