Palace fires NCSC exec for serious dishonesty, grave misconduct
The Office of the President has ordered the dismissal of National Commission for Senior Citizens Commissioner Reymar Mansilungan for misrepresenting his educational qualifications. — Photo from Philippine 好色先生TV Agency
MANILA, Philippines — The Palace has dismissed National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Commissioner Reymar Mansilungan from his post after he was found administratively liable for serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
This dismissal stemmed from an administrative case filed by the Senior Citizen partylist against Mansilungan for misrepresenting his educational qualifications in his application for the position of commissioner of the NCSC.
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During an investigation conducted by the House of Representatives Joint Committee, it was revealed that Mansilungan had falsely claimed to have attended the University of the Philippines, further proven by a certification from the university’s registrar confirming that there was no record of his enrollment.
In its 16-page decision made public on Friday, the Palace ruled in favor of the partylist, stating that public officials and employees are “obliged to remain true to the people at all times as mandated by the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.”
“Integrity is the capital of government workforce, hence dishonest acts are much to be condemned,” the decision read.
Mansilungan admitted the lapses on his resume, explaining that it was encoded by his daughter at an internet café wherein the entry in the “School Last Attended” was inadvertently encoded as “University of the Philippines.”
He then explained that he did not see the need to correct it, as he deemed his educational attainment immaterial to his recommendation as NCSC commissioner.
The Palace, in its decision, said it was not convinced, stating that personal data sheets must be accomplished with candor and truthfulness.
“Similarly, résumés must uphold the same degree of honesty, as they are vital in evaluating an applicant’s qualifications,” the Palace said in the decision.
“Any false entry in these documents will be considered dishonesty. It is settled that dishonesty is a willful and voluntary act which cannot be justified under the guise of negligence or ignorance,” it added.
