Village chair axed for asking P1M from QC property owner
The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed a barangay chair for soliciting P1 million from a landowner in exchange for his help in evicting those illegally occupying a property in Balintawak, Quezon City.
In a 19-page ruling promulgated on Aug. 29 and made public recently, the CA’s Ninth Division found Barangay Doña Josefa chair Louie Go Muñoz administratively liable for grave misconduct and neglect of duty.
He was ordered dismissed from his post, along with the cancellation of his eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits. He was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office and taking civil service examinations.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Teodora Angeles-Santos before the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, and violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards against Muñoz.
Santos claimed that Muñoz asked her for P1 million “in exchange for assistance that he would extend in removing the individuals, tenants and businesses illegally occupying” the parcel of land she and her siblings owned in Balintawak, Quezon City.
While Muñoz denied her allegations, the Ombudsman found him administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service on Jan. 23, 2023.
Conviction appealed
Upon appeal, the Ombudsman ruled that he was guilty only of simple misconduct and imposed a fine equivalent to his salary for six months.
Santos elevated the case to the CA, which ruled that the affirmative declaration of her secretary and personal assistant that Muñoz solicited money from her “prevails over his bare denial.”
“Indeed, it has been repeatedly held that denial is a self-serving negative defense that cannot be given greater weight than the declaration of a credible witness who testified on affirmative matters,” the appellate court said in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Selma Palacio Alaras.
