Two Mangaldan dep’t heads fired, face estafa cases

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN – Mayor Bernabe Abalos sacked two department heads of the local government who also face an estafa case after they allegedly swindled a lending institution.
Abalos said Evelyn Bernabe ,municipal accountant, and Helen Aquino, head of Municipal Human Resources Management Office, were sued with criminal swindling (estafa) case after they misrepresented more than 60 employees of the municipal government, using bogus names for some of them, in obtaining loans from Villasis Prime Lending Corporation. Abalos said there is also an impending case after the duo misrepresented their positions when they transacted with a lending institution in Olongapo City.
In a press conference, Abalos said he implemented the recommendation of the Investigating Committee formed by the late Mayor Herminio Romero under Executive Order No. 2012-47 dated September 27, 2012, as amended by Executive Order No. 2012-51 dated October 16, 2012. He said Bernabe and Aquino have been dismissed because of “serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, falsification of official documents, soliciting or accepting directly or Indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value which in the course of his/her Official Duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by or any transaction which maybe affected by the functions of his/her Office and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”
 The investigating committee is headed by Fernando Cabrera whose members were lawyer Vicente Orap and Engineer Felipe Cera, Jr. Aquino however, said in a text message to the media said the dismissal was not yet final and executory thus she and Bernabe will appeal the dismissal to the Civil Service Commission. Meanwhile, Abalos said the payroll scam worth eight million of pesos where Aquino, Bernabe, Treasurer Susana P. Bauzon, and Assistant Treasurer Marielyn D. Gonzales have been allegedly been involved have been filed with the Ombudsman, Regional Trial Court, and the Civil Service Commission.