Back

Atty. Gil A. Valera etc. Vs. Office of the Ombudsman, et al

ATTY. GIL A. VALERA, CPA-LCB, Deputy Commissioner, Revenue Collection Monitoring Group, Bureau of Customs, Petitioner, versus OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, rep. by Hon. ORLANDO C. CASIMIRO, Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (MOLEO), in his capacity as Acting Ombudsman; PNP-CIDG, rep. by Director General Eduardo S. Matillano (public complainant); ATTY. ADOLFO CASARENO (private complainant); Hon. CESAR V. PURISIMA, Secretary of Finance, Department of Finance; Hon. ALBERTO D. LINA, Commissioner of Customs, Bureau of Customs; Hon. ROBERTO D. GEOTINA, Deputy Commissioner for Internal Administration Group, Bureau of Customs; and HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS (Fourth Division), Respondents.

G.R. No. 167278 | 2008-02-27

D E C I S I O N


PUNO, C.J.:

Public office is a public trust.[1] Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, and act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.[2] With the numerous ills and negative perception surrounding the revenue collection agencies of the government, this mandate of our fundamental law becomes all the more relevant to the present petition. Petitioner, a Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, seeks to reverse and set aside the Decision[3] rendered by the Court of Appeals which affirmed the...