6 water district execs charged for non-payment of worker’s back pay

The Office of the Ombudsman. (Photo: Office of the Ombudsman Philippines/ Facebook)

MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman has charged before the Sandiganbayan the former chairman of the Pandi Water District (PWD) in Bulacan with graft for allegedly not giving the back pay of an employee in 2014.

The Ombudsman charged former PWD chairman Mario Agustin with violation of Section 3(f) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”

Likewise charged were former PWD board members Ofelia Cruz, Rosalinda Marcos, Anicia Concepcion-Marquez, and Marlon Soriano, and incumbent board member Ma. Isabel Avendano.

The anti-graft body accused the six respondents of conspiring with one another in discriminating and failing to pay the back pay of Elvira Socorro Santos from Mar. 29, 2011 to Aug. 20, 2014, in compliance with a decision by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Oct. 6, 2011.

The six respondents allegedly acted “without sufficient justification and after the lapse of a reasonable time after due demand or request was made” upon them by Santos.

The Ombudsman has recommended a PHP30,000 bail bond for the temporary liberty of each of the six respondents.