The Office of the Ombudsman has found former South Upi, Maguindanao Mayor Abdullah Campong, guilty of Simple Neglect of Duty and was ordered suspended without pay for three months and one day. In the event of separation from service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s salary for the same period.
The suspension order stemmed from the local government unit’s failure to remit Pag-IBIG contributions for the months of April to November 2007; delayed remittance of GSIS contributions; and failure to remit the taxes withheld on compensations of its employees from January to December 2007.
According to the Decision, Campong, as head of South Upi, violated Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 1980 (Presidential Decree No. 1752), GSIS law (Republic Act No. 8291), and Tax Reform Act (Republic Act No. 8424).
Aside from Campong, ordered suspended were Municipal Treasurer Onofre Natividad, Municipal Accountant Kusain Masurong, Municipal Budget Officer Leonardo Tolitel Jr., and Cashier II Clara Tolitel.
Simple Neglect of Duty is defined as “the failure to give proper attention to a task expected of an employee resulting from either carelessness or indifference.” (OMBUDSMAN-PR)