Anti-corruption watchdog on Thursday filed a graft complaint against Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Transparency in Public Service, represented by Joana Marie Gonzales, implicated Guerrero’s chief of staff Teodoro Jumamil, acting Deputy Commissioners Raniel Ty Ramiro and Donato San Juan, and Risk Management Office chief George Patrick Avila in its complaint for alleged illegal designation of personnel.
She called on Ombudsman Samuel Martires to place the accused under preventive suspension and to file criminal and administrative charges against them.
According to the group’s lawyer, Joseph Christian del Rosario, Guerrero and Ramiro allegedly allowed Avila to work in February 2019 without an official appointment.
“Subsequently, respondent Avila, without any appointment and through the consent and acquiescence of respondents Guerrero and Ramiro, began performing the official functions of the chief of RMO, which is under the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the intelligence group,” the complaint says.
“Avila certainly could not have performed the official functions […] without the concurrence and consent of respondent Ramiro and respondent Guerrero,” Gonzales said.
The other respondents Jumamil, Ramiro and San Juan also began to work at the Bureau of Customs in November 2018 before the release of their appointment papers in May, or after the last elections.
“In the instant case, conspiracy is evident from the coordinated movements of respondents,” the complaint says.
Gonzales accused the respondents of violation of Civil Service Commission rules.