The Sandiganbayan’s Second Division has ordered former Commission on Human Rights commissioner Cecilia Rachel Quisumbing to present evidence in the corruption charges filed against her by the Office of the Ombudsman for collecting money in exchange for the promotion of her staff.
In a July 20 resolution, the anti-graft court said prosecutors were able to present strong evidence to back allegations against Quisumbing of one count each of graft, direct bribery or extortion and violation of Section 7(d) of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
“The (defendant’s) motion lacks merit. The foregoing pieces of evidence appear to be prima facie sufficient to sustain a conviction unless rebutted by the defense,” it read.
The charges arose from a complaint of her co-terminus staff, Ma. Regina Eugenio, accusing Quisumbing of promoting her from administrative aide 6 to senior administrative assistant 3, and of demanding and collecting her salary differentials of P41,292.85 from January 2013 to July 2013.
The Ombudsman’s prosecutors claimed the promotion disregarded Civil Service Commission’s guidelines and was simply carried out “for the purpose of obtaining the subordinate’s salary differentials.”
Quisumbing maintained her innocence in the charges of direct bribery and violation of RA 6713 since there was no proof that she received the money from Eugenio.
As far as the graft case is concerned, she said there was insufficient evidence to support the alleged undue injury to the complainant or the imputed manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or inexcusable negligence on her part.
The money was not converted to her personal benefit but was entrusted to the CRVQ Office fund, she said, adding the sum remained intact.