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Monday, March 18, 2019

Repost: Roderick Paulate Gets Suspended by Sandiganbayan

Image courtesy of www.rappler.com

Source: www.rappler.com

The Sandiganbayan's 7th Division ordered the "prompt" suspension of Quezon City Councilor Roderick Paulate over a pending graft case for allegedly having some 30 ghost employees on his office's payroll.

"Accused Roderick Mendenilla Paulate is hereby ordered suspended from office and...is directed to cease and desist from further performing and/or exercising the functions, duties, and privilege of his position as Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Quezon City," the anti-graft court said.

Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses, Maria Theresa Dolores Gomez Estoesta, and Georgina Hidalgo ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to implement the order and submit a report on actions taken within 5 days.

Paulate's suspension will last 90 days, from the start of the order's enforcement.

Paulate is facing one count of graft and multiple counts of falsification of public documents. He is accused of pocketing P1.109 million in taxpayers' money from July to November 2010 by claiming these were the salaries of some 30 ghost employees.

Prosecutors said Paulate's staff prepared documents such as personal data sheets for the 30 ghost employees. These were then endorsed to the city's Office of the Vice Mayor for approval, along with certification that the employees completed 40 hours of service per week.

Paulate's driver and liaison officer Vicente Bajamunde was also implicated in the case as he allegedly collected the salaries of the ghost employees by using undated authorization letters.

Paulate opposed the suspension order, arguing that the Court of Appeals reversed the Office of the Ombudsman's ruling against him in a related administrative case as there was insufficient evidence.

Paulate also said suspending him would serve no purpose as the Ombudsman had already completed its investigation. He added that the Local Government Code of 1991 also prohibits suspension of local officials 90 days before an election. The 2019 elections are set for May 13, with Paulate running for Quezon City vice mayor.

The Sandiganbayan, however, rejected the councilor's arguments. The court cited Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which mandates the suspension of public officials facing corruption charges.

The Sandiganbayan also said that as an incumbent official, Paulate "logically possesses influence."

"This is a reality that we cannot ignore, hence, the legal presumption that unless the accused is suspended, he may frustrate his prosecution or commit further acts of malfeasance or do both," the court said. – Rappler.com

24 comments:

  1. Bakit daming kaso ng mga celebs ngayon?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kasi need nila mamaintain yung mga lifestyles nila kaya sumisistema kaso nasisilip. Si Ronnie Ricketts Ayala Alabang nakatira pa yun

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    2. fyi 213am,ronnie ricketts came from well off family before showbiz,dyan na nakatira yan sa ayala alabang & mariz family owns azucarera also,na-pulitka talag itong 2,si kuya dick nman candidate kc,big exposure din ang ang probinsyano.

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    3. Both Mariz and Ronnie are from well off family, I used to see Mariz when I was a little girl at La Vista very simple family and recently naman Alabang with their daughters simple lang din sila

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  2. May kalaban sa pulitika yang si Roderick na kakampi ng nasa taas kaya ang bilis ng aksyon ng Sandigan Bayan. Pag kakampi ka absuwelto ka. Look at Bong Revilla.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saang taas? Taas ng QC o taas ng Malakanyang?

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    2. 2:14 malamang both

      Delete
  3. Kaya gustong talagang tumulong nagiging negative mga corrupt n artista

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  4. Ironic.....na nahuli nila si Dick "Petrang Kabayo" na me mga ghost employees while "legitimate" practice na ito sa mga baranggay levels pa lang at sa mga sangay ng govt at mga politiko and yet si Dick lang ang "nahuli" nila! Hahahahahhaha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nakakatawa ka teh. Ang dami ng mga "nahuli". Pumunta ka sandiganbayan, daming kqso dun ng graft. Alangan naman i-publish ni FP dito lahat.

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  5. Bakit yang case ni roderick tuwing eleksyon binubuhay? Di ba na suspend na sya dati.So bakit inuulit na lang palagi.Luma na yang balitang yan.

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  6. This is sad. Kinain na ng sistema si Roderick...

    ReplyDelete
  7. May naninira dito kay roderick.Kasi parang matagal na yang issue na yan.Bumabalik pag may eleksyon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meh, that’s because he was never punished for his crime.

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    2. piapaalalahanan mga botante

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  8. Luma na yang balitang yan.May kalaban siya na panay yan ang issue na focus nila.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Pinopolitika xa, xa lang yung laging nahuhuli samantalanh lahat may kababalaghan

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ayaw nila patakbuhin si dick dahil baka manalo

    ReplyDelete
  11. Alam kasi nilang malakas si Paulate kaya tuwing election sinisiraan hahahahahaha

    ReplyDelete
  12. Halos lahat naman ng LGU offices may ghost employees. Napag initan siguro to sya.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And does it make it right or acceptable?

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  13. THis is good news! Its about time for politicians to get reprimanded!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Busted siya, at last.

    ReplyDelete

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