Lim sacks 3 employees over missing P.3-M parking, towing fees

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has recently dismissed from the service three Manila City Hall personnel charged for defrauding the city of P376,977.50 in parking and towing fees they collected but failed to remit to the City Treasurer’s office from June 9, 2006 to June 22, 2007.

Dismissed from service on May 26 were Traffic Officer II Antonio Dawis of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB); Suzanne Tinio Mempin, Special Operations Officer V; and Angel Dizon, a city hall worker designated by former MTPB Director Manuel Mendoza to disburse official receipts on daily and monthly collections for parking, towing and other dues related to the government’s parking scheme.

City Legal Officer Renato de la Cruz filed administrative charges against the three on Jan. 3 with dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct grossly prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

De la Cruz had them preventively suspended during the conduct of hearings on the charges.

Reports said the three had collected P382,400 in parking and towing fees from June 2006 to June 2007 but remitted only P5,422.50 to the City Treasurer’s Office.

This is the first dismissal from service ordered by Lim since he assumed post as mayor of Manila in August 2007.

Lim said he would not hesitate to remove other erring city hall personnel and policemen in his bid to clean up city hall from wrongdoers to ensure that Manila residents will be given quality public service they pay for through their taxes.

The three were found to be issuing official receipts in triplicate, one of which has a grossly undervalued amount.