THE Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court has ordered a former dean of the University of the Philippines' College of Human Kinetics to pay a P5,000 fine for approving a payment to a catering firm owned by him and his wife.
Branch 36 convicted ex-dean Hercules Callanta for violation of Section 7(a) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, or Republic Act 6713.
The case started when Callanta engaged the services of the family-owned The Lord's Inheritance Catering to provide meals during the College of Human Kinetics' summer recreation program.
The Office of the Ombudsman's prosecutors testified before the court to prove the culpability of Callanta and presented the disbursement voucher worth P6,300 bearing his signature as evidence.
"The accused, as dean and approving authority for payment, knowingly signed the disbursement voucher for the catering services of The Lord’s Inheritance Catering Service during the May 26, 2007 summer recreation program in the amount of P6,300 organized and sponsored by the CHK," the decision read.
“Without such signature, the disbursement voucher could not be processed for payment by the UP Diliman accounting office, and the May 26, 2007 transaction would not have been paid.”
The court did not give credence to Callanta’s defense of good faith, and said that “although he exerted efforts to ensure that all required documents and certifications were in order before signing, he cannot escape the fact that this transaction is prohibited under Section 7(a) of RA 6713 because of (1) his position as dean (agency head) in a public university; (2) his and his wife’s ownership and business interest in The Lord’s Inheritance Catering Service; and (3) that the May 26, 2007 transaction, in order to proceed and be consummated, required the approval of his office.”
Callanta was ordered to pay a fine of P5,000.
The Quezon City court invoked Section 7(a) of RA 6713 stating that public officials and employees shall not, directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.