The Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Director IV Charlita Escaño of the Office of Finance and Administrative Services of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in Davao City for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019).
Investigation showed that Escaño allowed her husband, Engineer Allan Escaño, a non-MinDA employee, to participate in the “Basic Occupational Safety and Health Course for Construction Officers” held at the Ritz Hotel in Davao City from 16 to 20 March 2015. Records revealed that the MinDA paid the amount of P30,000.00 representing the registration fee for five participants, but only four employees attended with Engr. Allan Escaño, a private individual, replacing Engr. Renato Buhat, Jr. who was unavailable to attend the seminar.
In her Counter-Affidavit, respondent claimed that she was informed that refund is not allowed for any cancelled attendance, and as replacement for Engr. Buhat, she invited her husband to attend the seminar and the organizers allowed it.
In the Ombudsman Resolution, it was determined that “respondent gave unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to her husband, Engr. Escaño, by causing his inclusion in the training in lieu of Engr. Buhat for which MinDA already paid the registration fee.”
Under Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019, it shall be unlawful to, among others, give any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of official administrative functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. ###