SC sacks Manila court sheriff for tampering with time card

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed from service a former Manila regional trial court sheriff for tampering with his daily time record (DTR).

In a decision released yesterday, the high court affirmed the recommendation of the Office of Court Administrator that found former Manila RTC Branch 27 sheriff Jaime Kasilag guilty of falsification of official document and dishonesty.

The SC imposed the penalty of dismissal from judicial service, but since Kasilag had resigned from his post in 2007 he was meter the penalty of forfeiture of his entire retirement benefits, except accrued leave benefits, with prejudice to re-employment in any branch or instrumentality of government, including government-owned and controlled corporations.

The high tribunal held that falsification of DTR among judicial employees is considered a grave offense.

According to court records, Kasilag’s DTR for February 2004 showed that the original entries had been erased and replaced instead with time entries showing that Kasilag reported for work on the days he previously took a leave of absence.