32 Bacolod GSO workers tagged in payslip fraud

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The City Legal Office is investigating an alleged mass document falsification involving 32 regular employees of the General Services Office at the Bacolod City Government Center.

The employees allegedly altered documents to obtain loans from the Government Service Insurance System.

City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said Monday that the case was referred to his office by the GSO department head, prompting the issuance of notices to explain to the employees involved, including the assistant GSO head.

Chiu said the alleged falsification happened shortly after the city declared a state of calamity due to Typhoon “Tino” on Nov. 5, which made it easier for employees to process certain loans.

He said the employees allegedly tampered with their payslips, loan applications, and certifications of net pay by artificially increasing their take-home pay to qualify for GSIS loans.

“It’s not only one or two, but 32 of them,” Chiu said.

The irregularities were discovered on Nov. 12 when the Management Information and Computer Services staff noticed altered payslips while processing the GSO payroll.

Chiu said the assistant department head — whom he did not name — signed the questionable documents.

He said the loans taken included calamity, computer, and multi-purpose loans, with some employees reportedly receiving PHP50,000 to PHP60,000.

To qualify for the loans, applicants must have a net take-home pay of not less than PHP7,000, he said.

“Damo-damo ba sila loans. Patong-patong na so gin peke nila,” he said, noting that some employees already had multiple existing loans, prompting them to falsify documents.

Chiu said the employees may face administrative charges for dishonesty and misconduct, offenses that carry a maximum penalty of dismissal from service.

The CLO is awaiting their written explanations, which must be submitted within five days before the office proceeds with further evaluation.