Office Of The Court Administrator v. Peradilla

Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC A.M. No. P-09-2647 July 17, 2012 OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, Complainant, vs. LUNALINDA M. PERADILLA, Clerk of Court II, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, El Nido-Linapacan, Palawan, Respondent. PER CURIAM: The administrative case arose from the financial audit conducted by an audit team of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) in the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of El Nido-Linapacan, Palawan. In a letter dated 3 December 2008,1 Presiding Judge Ma.

Theresa P. Mangcucang-Navarro of the MCTC of El Nido-Linapacan, Palawan, requested then Court Administrator Jose P. Perez (now Supreme Court Justice) that a financial audit be conducted on the books of account of the said court. The request was made after Judge Mangcucang-Navarro discovered that Clerk of Court Lunalinda M. Peradilla (Peradilla) had been remiss in remitting the Judiciary Development Funds and the Fiduciary Funds. On 16 to 22 April 2009, the audit team of OCA (Financial Audit Team) conducted a financial audit of the books of accounts of the MCTC of El Nido-Linapacan, Palawan, covering the accountabilities of the following accountable officers with the corresponding accountability period: 1.

Ms. Nora G. Daquer - 1 January 2000 to 31 March 2001 2. Mr. Reynaldo N. Valenzuela - 1 April 2001 to 6 February 2003 3. Ms. Lunalinda M. Peradilla - 7 February 2003 to 16 December 2008 4.

Ms. Gracilia D. Abes - 17 December 2008 to 31 March 2009 The Financial Audit Team submitted the following findings:2 Examination of the documents presented disclosed the following accountabilities for the different judiciary funds of the accountable officers, to wit: For the Judiciary Development Fund Accountable Officer Accountability Period Total Collections Total Remittances Balance of Accountability Ms. Daquer 1/1/00-3/31/01 ₱ 27,820.10 ₱ 27,770.10 ₱ 50.00 Mr. Valenzuela 4/1/01-2/6/03 23,834.90 23,831.50 3.40 Ms. Peradilla 2/7/03-12/16/08 115,050.75 52,203.20 62,847.55 Ms. Abes 12/17/08-3/31/09 7,395.33 7,395.33 0.00 TOTAL ₱ 174,101.08 ₱ 111,200.13 ₱ 62,900.95 Both restituted per deposit slip dated April 28, 2009 (Annex "6") For the Special Allowance for the Judiciary Development Fund Accountable Officer Accountability Period Total Collections Total Remittances Balance of Accountability Ms. Peradilla 11/11/03-12/16/08 ₱ 302,046.30 ₱ 88,778.20 ₱ 213,268.10 Ms. Abes 12/17/08-3/31/09 26,618.00 26,618.00 0.00 TOTAL ₱ 328,664.30 ₱ 115,396.20 ₱ 213,268.10 For the General Fund Accountable Officer Accountability Period Total Collections Total Remittances Balance of Accountability Ms. Daquer 1/1/00-3/31/01 1,555.90 1,555.90 0.00 Mr. Valenzuela 4/1/01-2/6/03 1,569.10 1,569.10 0.00 Ms. Peradilla 2/7/03-11/10/03 716.80 703.60 13.20 TOTAL ₱ 3,841.80 ₱ 3,828.60 ₱ 13.20 For the Mediation Fund Accountable Officer Accountability Period Total Collections Total Remittances Balance of Accountability Ms. Peradilla 11/1/04-12/16/08 ₱ 18,500.00 ₱ 0.00 ₱ 18,500.00 Ms. Abes 12/17/08-3/31/09 ₱ 3,000.00 3,000.00 0.00 TOTAL ₱ 21,500.10 ₱ 3,000.00 ₱ 18,500.00 For the Fiduciary Fund Unwithdrawn Fiduciary Fund, as of December 31, 1999 ₱ 33,000.00 Add: Collections (January 1, 2000 to March 31, 2009) 1,047,000.00