Probe team finds hospital chief liable for 'immorality'
Dr. George A. Acepcion, chief the Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital (RTMDH) in Cabatuan, Iloilo, has been meted with a 60-day suspension following the result of investigation of the Fact-Finding Committee finding him liable for Disgraceful and Immoral Conduct and Oppression.
Governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. likewise formally charged Acepcion of the said offense.
He thus issued Executive Order No. 145 dated May 30, 2006 creating a committee to hear the Administrative Case against Acepcion
The committee is composed of Dr. Patricia Grace S. Trabado as chairman with Dr. George Barrios, Atty. Joenel Alipao, Atty. Teopisto Melliza, and Atty. Edgar Claudio Sumido as members.
Acepcion was charged by his subordinates at RTMDH sometime in February this year of allegedly having illicit relationship with hospital employee Rosalinda Lauron.
Tupas immediately formed a Fact-Finding Committee headed by Provincial Planning and Development Office chief Mario Nillos to investigate said allegations.
The Fact-Finding Committee in its report said that nineteen out of twenty seven witnesses which they have interviewed affirmed the illicit relationship between Acepcion and Lauron.
Based on testimonies of witnesses, Lauron usually stay at the quarters of Acepcion during lunch time and extending even up to 2:30 pm, such behavior according to the committee's findings is "unusual (behavior) for a supervisor-supervisee relationship having no marital relationship."
Acepcion is married and with children while Lauron is a single mother.
The committee also found out that Lauron told almost anyone in the hospital about their relationship.
The committee also found proof showing that Acepcion has been giving preferential treatment to Lauron.
It also gathered that Lauron usually go with Acepcion, riding in his car, in going home even before the prescribed time off in the afternoon.
The committee also found merit in the allegations of employees that Acepcion abused his power in implementing transfers and reassignments of some employees who were instrumental in bringing his wrongful acts to the attention of Governor Tupas.
The committee observed that it was Acepcion's way of getting back at employees who initiated the complaints against him.
Acepcion was earlier reported to have tendered his resignation to Governor Tupas however he allegedly later backtracked to face the charges against him.
In an interview with Aksyon Radyo, Acepcion said that he is very willing to face the investigation to "clear my name."