c. Taking undue advantage of official position
d. Taking undue advantage of subordinate
e. Undue disclosure of confidential information
f. Use of government property in the commission of the offense
g. Habituality
h. Offense is committed during office hours and within the premises of the office or
building;
i. Employment of fraudulent means to commit or conceal the offense
j. Length of service in the government
k. Education
l. Other analogous circumstances.
Nevertheless, in the appreciation thereof, the same must be invoked or pleaded by the
proper party, otherwise, said circumstances shall not be considered in the imposition of
proper penalty. The Commission, however, in the interest of substantial justice may
take and consider these circumstances.
cralawlawlib rary
The Court notes that the Deputy Overall Ombudsman was correct in appreciating the
following mitigating circumstances in determining the imposable penalty, to wit: (1)
petitioner's weak physical condition and (2) commission of the offense in a public place
and in the presence of their office mates. However, the said Ombudsman gravely erred
in failing to consider the following aggravating circumstances: (1) taking undue
advantage of official position; (2) taking undue advantage of subordinate; and (3)
education. As the Head of the Legal Department of PHILRACOM and the direct superior
of respondent, petitioner's act of forcibly kissing her lips and saying “Ang sarap pala ng
labi ni Maila x x x” in front of their office mates, smacks of bad faith, abuse of official
position, flagrant disregard of the anti-sexual harassment law,38 and willful violation of
the Code of Professional Responsibility.39 Under Section 54 (d) of the URACCS,40 where
more aggravating circumstances are present than mitigating ones, the maximum
penalty shall be imposed. Hence, the Court imposes the penalty of suspension of six (6)
months without pay.
Given that the Ombudsman is vested with plenary and unqualified power41 to
investigate any malfeasance, misfeasance and non-feasance by a public officer or
employee of the government, or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality
thereof,42 the settled rule is that courts will not ordinarily interfere with the
Ombudsman's exercise of its investigatory and prosecutory powers without good and
compelling reason to indicate otherwise.43 As discussed above, the Court finds such
good and compelling reasons based on law and jurisprudence as would warrant the
modification of the CA decision, as well as the Memorandum-Order of Overall Deputy
Office of the Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, the Court disagrees on petitioner's contention that the issue of sexual
harassment is better addressed in the pending criminal case for sexual harassment
before the Metropolitan Trial Court of Makati, for to do so in an administrative
proceedings would be unfair, unjust and extremely unreasonable. It bears to stress that
administrative and criminal charges filed before the Office of the Ombudsman and the
trial court, respectively, are separate and distinct from each other even if they arise
from the same act or omission. This is because the quantum of proof required in