Prov'l assessor hits back at accuser
Beleaguered Provincial Assessor Francisco Habana Jr. has had enough of the continued attacks hurled by a fellow Capitol official.
As such, he now made an official rebuttal on administrative charges as lodged before the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).
In a seven-paged reply addressed to Vice Governor Rolex Suplico, Provincial Assessor Habana maintained his innocence alongside a lengthy defense. Backing up his position were documents proving that the questioned transactions passed through legitimate and usual government procedures.
In fact, Habana pointed out, no less than the direct superiors of his accuser cleared the transactions – assessments and reclassification of real properties concerned.
"Generally, all transaction(s) prior to the approval of the undersigned is being scrutinized by the different Division Chiefs concerned," he said while adding how no less than his accuser's supervisor, Philen Patriarca, Chief-Assessment Standards Examination and Audit Division gave the go-signal.
Further still was the legal opinion rendered by the Provincial Legal Office stating that Habana's actions "are in accordance with the existing applicable laws and policies governing the appraisal and assessment of real properties."
What it was, he continued, were misplaced charges of graft and irregularities from his accuser he dubbed as "a typical rotten tomato who wants to destroy the image of the office she works."
Habana stands accused of graft by Laurie Quimba-Gudes, Local Assessment Operations Officer II of the Office of the Provincial Assessor.
"I have already answered her complaint but she kept repeating the same subject matter without respect to office standard operating procedures. I believe Ms. Gudes has a very serious behavioral problem… I have tried my best to understand her behavior but she seems to be incorrigible," Habana continued.
"She should concentrate more in doing her work rather than fault finding which is also baseless. Our records in the Office are open to those who are willing to clarify matters and she should be among those who must have the mastery of the work reposed on her," Habana wrote. "Last but not the least, Ms. Gudes is also one of the problem employees of this Office, whose stubbornness to follow directions has showed a bad example to her fellow civil servants."